Regulatory

One single regulator for all legal services, regulation of all paralegals and a duty on regulators to ‘creatively’ tackle access to justice barriers are among a raft of proposals being considered by the Legal Services Board (LSB).

Johnson v FirstRand sent ‘shockwaves through the financial services industry’, write Eddie Flanagan, partner and specialist in asset and debt recovery, and Harpreet Sandhu, Chartered Legal Executive at Shakespeare Martineau, in this week’s NLJ. They discuss the case and its astonishing implications. For example, Santander UK revealed in November that it has set aside £295m for potential compensation.

With artificial intelligence (AI) advancing at dizzying speed, is the UK too slow to regulate? In this week’s NLJ, Robert Taylor, CEO and general counsel at 360 Law Group, explores the risks of inadequate regulation in this sector, including for the economy.

The transformative potential of AI is undeniable, but so are its risks: Robert Taylor explains why the UK must act now to legislate

Is the anti-money laundering regime too vague? In this week’s NLJ, Jonathan Fisher KC, Red Lion Chambers, looks at two recent cases involving solicitors where the standards applied were assessed according to whether they were ‘adequate’ or ‘appropriate’.

What are ‘adequate’ & ‘appropriate’ measures to take against money laundering? Jonathan Fisher KC urges regulators to exercise some restraint

Lawyers are failing to uphold ethical standards in a range of ways from misleading courts to misusing non-disclosure agreements, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has said.

It’s often a case of double trouble where regulated professionals face criminal charges because they also face professional disciplinary proceedings. In this week’s NLJ, Vanessa Reid, senior associate at Corker Binning, looks at a recent High Court decision, Patel, in which a dentist who caused death by careless driving received criminal sanctions and was also brought before the General Dental Council’s disciplinary committee.

Two sets of consequences for the same actions? Vanessa Reid examines guidance from the courts on criminal convictions & professional disciplinary cases

What challenges lie ahead in litigation? Two key areas are interim billing and ethics—explored in this week’s NLJ by Frank Maher, partner in Keystone Law specialising in professional regulation & professional indemnity insurance law.