ABS, COLP & COFA News

Latest news Archives – Legal Futures

• The new Mazur? ‘Solicitor agent’ does not have rights of audience 12th January 2026
  A so-called solicitor’s agent did not meet the Legal Services Act 2007 requirements for rights of audience, a district judge has ruled. The post The new Mazur? ‘Solicitor agent’ does not have rights of audience appeared first on Legal Futures.
  Neil Rose
• Tribunal strikes out part of barrister’s claim against BSB 12th January 2026
  A barrister’s claim that hundreds of people accessed details of a complaint about her held by the Bar Standards Board has been struck out by an employment tribunal. The post Tribunal strikes out part of barrister’s claim against BSB appeared first on Legal Futures.
  Neil Rose
• Clients demanding AI chatbots to “circumvent lawyers” 12th January 2026
  Large law firms are facing “increasing demands from clients” for AI chatbots to allow them to “self-serve and circumvent the need to direct all queries through lawyers”. The post Clients demanding AI chatbots to “circumvent lawyers” appeared first on Legal Futures.
  Nick Hilborne
• Fixed costs extension “has increased deductions from damages” 12th January 2026
  The continued push for fixed costs has resulted in more deductions from clients’ damages and raises questions about whether justice is being achieved. The post Fixed costs extension “has increased deductions from damages” appeared first on Legal Futures.
  Legal Futures
• MoJ an international outlier with client account interest plan 9th January 2026
  Interest on Lawyers’ Client Account schemes around the world do not divert the money to general government coffers, as the Ministry of Justice is proposing, according to research. The post MoJ an international outlier with client account interest plan appeared first on Legal Futures.
  Neil Rose
• Solicitors fined for misconduct over purchase of law firm 9th January 2026
  A woman who used a solicitor to buy a law firm while she was still a trainee, and then practised unsupervised, has been fined for misconduct. The post Solicitors fined for misconduct over purchase of law firm appeared first on Legal Futures.
  Neil Rose
• Court of Appeal backs strike-out of £68m law firm negligence claim 9th January 2026
  The Court of Appeal has dismissed a challenge to the striking out of £68m negligence claim against Yorkshire law firm Lupton Fawcett following a failed property development schemes. The post Court of Appeal backs strike-out of £68m law firm negligence claim appeared first on Legal Futures.
  Nick Hilborne
• Majority of conveyancers do not want binding sale contracts 9th January 2026
  Seven out of 10 conveyancing solicitors do not want the government to introduce mandatory binding contracts for offers to buy homes, research has found. The post Majority of conveyancers do not want binding sale contracts appeared first on Legal Futures.
  Nick Hilborne
• Government will put firms “at risk” with client account interest grab 8th January 2026
  The government’s proposed raid on client account interest “will put high street law firms at risk and force legal fees to rise for those that survive”, the Law Society has warned. The post Government will put firms “at risk” with client account interest grab appeared first on Legal Futures.
  Neil Rose
• Spot-fixing cricketer’s solicitor cleared of urging false defence 8th January 2026
  A solicitor who acted for a cricketer jailed for spot fixing has been cleared of an allegation that he encouraged his client to offer false evidence in his defence. The post Spot-fixing cricketer’s solicitor cleared of urging false defence appeared first on Legal Futures.
  Neil Rose