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A culture of fear?
The junior lawyer’s division (JLD) this month released the results of its resilience and wellbeing survey. As the name suggests the survey was carried out so that the JLD could better understand the resilience and wellbeing of junior lawyers. Surprisingly, only 214 responses were received from over 70,000 members, nonetheless the results are interesting. Over 90% of those that responded said said they felt stressed and under pressure at work, with more than 25% describing the stress as ‘extreme’. Perhaps it is not surprising that 64.8% attributed their stress to high workload, with ineffective management (49.5%) and lack of support (48.4%) coming in second and third respectively. A staggering 53.1% said they had nearly made a crucial error and 36.7% said they had made a mistake as a result of work-related stress. Importantly 73.8% believed that their organisation could do more to provide help and guidance in relation to stress at work.
Why is it important?
We have been tracking for some time the worrying trend of young solicitors unable to cope and lacking proper support from their employees, read our blog here. In our view, we have a moral obligation to look after our junior lawyers and we should all be questioning whether we are doing enough to support, mentor and encourage less experienced solicitors.
Spring update to Risk Outlook
Why is it important?
Rise in number of solicitors struck off
Why is it important?
Fifth ABS regulator
On the 3rd April 2017, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) begun licensing ABSs, making it the fifth body that can authorise ABSs. The BSB has approved 72 lawyer-only regulated entities since 2015, but now it will be able to license businesses which are also owned by non-lawyers. As a regulator of advocacy-based services, it will specialise in ABSs that are advocacy and litigation focused.
Why is it important?
The BSB is not expecting huge numbers, and is predicting to regulate around 20 each year. It is however a step towards a further innovative market, as stated by BSB Director of Regulatory Assurance Oliver Hammer ‘we believe this development encourages further innovation in the provision of legal services’.
ABS news
We are delighted that we assisted Cardiff based law firm Greenaway Scott secure an ABS licence. Greenaway Scott provides corporate and commercial advice to companies with specialism in the life science, technology, pharmaceutical and IT sectors. The firm is looking to bring on board complimentary businesses in M&A.
Notable disciplinary decisions
- An immigration solicitor has been referred to the SDT accused of abusing and undermining the immigration system
- three partners from Clyde and Co were each fined £10,000 and the firm fined £50,000 for allowing the client’s bank account to be used as a banking facility and failing to act in accordance with the Money Laundering Regulations 2007.
- The former boss and GOFA of Kingsley Law was fined £7500 and rebuked for 11 accounts rule breaches and two breaches of the SRA principles.
- A solicitor was rebuked for failing to comply with the Court.
- An employee of Clarkes Legal was rebuked, fined £2000 and had a section 43 order against him for submitting a CV to Clarkes Legal that had stated that he attended the University of Leeds and Yale University when he had not, and stating that he had been called to the bar whereas he merely completed the BVC.
- A solicitor has been suspended for 12 months for breaching money laundering regulations and accounts rules by transferring nearly £1.3m to a Belize account.
Law Society – practice note updates
- 28 March 2017 – Making gifts of assets
- 21 March 2017 – Who owns the file?
- 1 March 2017 – Access and Disclosure of incapacitated person’s will