Pulse UK

  • October 24, 2025

    Ex-Law Firm Manager Barred For Misappropriating £163K

    The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has barred the former manager of a London law firm from practicing as a solicitor after he misappropriated client funds for four years and caused a shortage of more than £163,000 ($217,000) to arise on its client account.

  • October 24, 2025

    Property Purchaser Can't Revive Simmons & Simmons Case

    A London appeals court denied a prospective property buyer permission on Friday to challenge an earlier finding that there was no case to answer over his allegation that two Simmons & Simmons lawyers had breached money laundering regulations.

  • October 24, 2025

    SRA Plans 'Intrusive' Regulation After Axiom, SSB Failures

    The solicitors' watchdog has warned the profession that it might take "a far more intrusive" approach to regulation after the Legal Services Board penalized it over the collapses of Axiom Ince and SSB Group.

  • October 24, 2025

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    This past week in London has seen the Financial Conduct Authority launch legal action against a Chinese cryptocurrency exchange, The Londoner magazine face a defamation claim from an entrepreneur accused of "scamming" Knightsbridge landlords, and Gucci sued by its cosmetics supplier as L'Oréal announces plans to buy the Italian fashion house's beauty brand. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

  • October 24, 2025

    The Revolving Door: Simmons Names Global Pensions Head

    Over the past week, Simmons & Simmons has appointed its global head of pensions from DLA Piper, Travers Smith lost its head of tax to King & Spalding and CMS fueled its energy practice with an automotive specialist.

  • October 24, 2025

    Bank Of England General Counsel Exits After 10 Years

     The Bank of England has lost its lead lawyer, a former partner at Clifford Chance LLP, after she spent a decade managing and mitigating its legal risks.

  • October 23, 2025

    SRA Risks Losing Staff, Budget As FCA Takes Over On AML

    The Solicitors Regulation Authority could find itself with a smaller budget and a diminished workforce as a result of the government's decision to move all anti-money laundering oversight to the Financial Conduct Authority, experts have warned.

  • October 23, 2025

    Solicitor Referred To Tribunal Over Misconduct Allegations

    The solicitors watchdog has referred a London litigator to a disciplinary tribunal to face accusations that he engaged in inappropriate behavior, including allegedly touching colleagues in an unwanted sexual manner.

  • October 23, 2025

    Law Firms Could Face £1.4B Bill Under Rumored Tax Change

    Partners at law firms face paying up to £1.4 billion ($1.9 billion) more in tax each year if the government imposes a new tax on limited liability partnerships to help plug a hole in Britain's finances, UHY Hacker Young said Thursday.

  • October 23, 2025

    Squire Patton Hit With £3.7M Claim Over Tech Buyout Advice

    A software company has sued Squire Patton Boggs for £3.7 million ($4.9 million) in a London court, alleging that the law firm's faulty advice led to a dispute over intellectual property that was fundamental to its acquisition of a rival business.

  • October 23, 2025

    Ex-Clifford Chance Pro Hit With £8M Libel Claim By Barrister

    A barrister has sued legal commentator Dan Neidle and his think tank for £8 million ($10.6 million), accusing the former Clifford Chance partner of engaging in a vendetta against him, according to court filings that have now been made public.

  • October 23, 2025

    Albion Chambers Barrister Tapped For High Court Post

    The government said Thursday that it has named as a High Court judge a senior criminal and regulatory barrister from Albion Chambers, who chaired an independent review into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic by the Isle of Man government.

  • October 22, 2025

    Michelman & Robinson Opens First Overseas Office In London

    Los Angeles-based Michelman & Robinson LLP announced it has made its first expansion outside the U.S. with the launch of a London office.

  • October 22, 2025

    UK To Crack Down On Fake Immigration Lawyers

    The Home Office detailed plans to combat abuse in the immigration system on Wednesday by giving authorities new powers to confiscate the profits fake immigration lawyers make from providing unlawful advice.

  • October 22, 2025

    BHP Seeks To Block US Testimony In Pogust Goodhead Row

    BHP urged a judge Wednesday to prevent Pogust Goodhead, which represents thousands of claimants in a £36 billion ($48 billion) trial over a Brazilian dam disaster, from obtaining information from a U.S. court in order to support proposed litigation against the Australian mining giant.

  • October 22, 2025

    Lawyers Could See Probes Double As FCA Takes Over AML

    The decision to make the financial watchdog the sole regulator of AML and counter-terrorist financing for professional services providers could be "tricky" for lawyers in the short term, even as some experts predict it might ultimately help to simplify an overly complex regulatory regime.

  • October 22, 2025

    Email 'Did Not Cause' Barrister's Mistreatment, Stonewall Says

    An email complaining about a gender-critical barrister's tweets was not the cause of discrimination against her, LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall argued Wednesday as it fought her appeal to hold the organization liable.

  • October 22, 2025

    Kingsley Napley Hires 1st Chief Legal Officer From Mishcon

    Kingsley Napley has appointed a former Mishcon partner to serve as its chief legal officer, a newly-created board-level position.

  • October 22, 2025

    Oil Co. Loses £44M Costs Appeal Over Fraud At Top UK Court

    Britain's top court rejected on Wednesday an attempt by an energy company to change the currency of its £44 million ($59 million) costs bill after it committed fraud, with the justices calling the dispute a "sorry tale involving human greed and corrupt practices."

  • October 21, 2025

    Debevoise Taps Goodwin Team For Private Funds Group

    Debevoise & Plimpton LLP has hired a team of secondaries lawyers from Goodwin Procter LLP, including a partner who will co-chair the firm's private fund transactions group.

  • October 21, 2025

    Outgoing SRA Chief Criticizes Solicitors Holding Client Funds

    The chief executive of the Solicitors Regulation Authority said Tuesday that the cost of regulation would decrease considerably if solicitors and their firms were no longer allowed to hold client money, as he prepares to step down after nearly 12 years at the helm.

  • October 21, 2025

    Trowers Accused Of Coercion In $1.1M Fees Dispute

    An affordable housing provider has denied owing Trowers & Hamlins LLP more than £800,000 ($1.1 million) for work between 2023 and 2024, arguing that the law firm had used "coercion" to secure approval for out-of-scope fees from an unauthorized individual. 

  • October 21, 2025

    Gender-Critical Barrister Fights To Blame Charity For Probe

    A barrister argued at the Court of Appeal on Tuesday that LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall should be held liable for a complaint by one of its employees that prompted a discriminatory probe into her online activity.

  • October 21, 2025

    SRA Chief Downplays Mazur Impact Ahead Of New Guidance

    The solicitors' watchdog promised Tuesday to publish more guidance for lawyers after a ruling on who can litigate fee disputes for law firms, as its chief said the decision didn't change the law but called into question how "diluted" litigation outfits might have become.

  • October 21, 2025

    FCA To Take Reins Of AML Regulation From SRA

    The government said Tuesday that the Financial Conduct Authority will become the sole regulator of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing for professional services providers, slashing the supervisory role of the Solicitors Regulation Authority and other industry watchdogs.

Expert Analysis

  • Law Firms Should Consider Value Of Off-Peak LinkedIn Posts

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    Statistics show only a minor dip in law firms' LinkedIn post performance at weekends and holiday periods, demonstrating a missed opportunity to reach the many business leaders and lawyers who use the platform at off-peak times, says Simon Marshall at TBD Marketing.

  • PR Perspectives: 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Legal PR

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    Daniela Conte at Gibson Dunn outlines practical steps that public relations professionals working in the legal industry can take to excel at their craft, including providing regular media coaching to lawyers and quantifying the value of PR work.

  • Why Law Firms May Want To Set Up Charitable Foundations

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    An increasing number of law firms are setting up their own charitable foundations, which may be a way of achieving the goals a purposeful business wants to pursue and demonstrating to its stakeholders a tangible commitment to its professed values, says Robert Nieri at Shoosmiths.

  • Client Complaint Data Offers Key Insights For Lawyers

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    While the Legal Ombudsman has not yet released its latest annual report to the public, we can look at last year's data to decipher what may have caused a spike in client dissatisfaction and predict what to anticipate in an effort to improve the quality of legal services, says Qarrar Somji at Witan Solicitors.

  • Disciplinary Ruling Has Lessons For Lawyers On Social Media

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    A recent Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal judgment against a solicitor for online posts deemed antisemitic and offensive highlights the serious sanctions that can stem from conduct on social media and the importance of law firms' efforts to ensure that their employees behave properly, say Liz Pearson and Andrew Pavlovic at CM Murray.

  • Law Firm Considerations In Attracting And Retaining Talent

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    As law firms move away from a solely seniority-based partner remuneration model toward a reward performance system, they need to look holistically at overall contribution, maintaining an effective hierarchy of entrepreneurial senior partners, diligent management and hardworking junior staff in order to incentivize the stars they wish to keep, says Catriona Watt at Fox & Partners.

  • Series

    PR Perspectives: Focusing On The Truth Will Gain Trust

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    With a firm’s hard-won reputation at risk of being trashed if news breaks that the business has misled its stakeholders, it is far better for a public relations team to insist that external promotions be truthful, driving the organization to look critically at itself and make positive change, says Clare Rodway at Kysen PR.

  • Why It's Helpful To Understand The Role Of The SRA

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    With the ongoing Post Office inquiry and review of the role lawyers played in the scandal, the Solicitors Regulation Authority is currently under wider public consideration, and it is worth examining its role as a regulator, says Steve Roberts at Richard Nelson.

  • Tips For Hiring Adaptable Legal Talent In Uncertain Times

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    Amid the current period of economic and regulatory turbulence, businesses will need to consider skills that go beyond technical excellence when hiring in-house legal talent — including versatility, commercial awareness and artificial intelligence proficiency, says Jerry Temko at Major Lindsey.

  • PR Perspectives: The Future For Legal Press Releases

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    Although press releases are used less frequently now, they still have a place in the legal public relations repertoire, alongside the commentary, articles and social media aimed at getting law firms' or barristers' chambers' messages across, says Steve Rudaini at SJR Communications.

  • How Pro Bono Work Can Strengthen A Law Firm

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    Creating a sustainable pro bono program can enhance a law firm's reputation and make it attractive to prospective clients and talent in several ways, says Shams Merchant at Jackson Walker.

  • Why Neurodiversity Support In The Legal Sector Is Important

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    With recent statistics revealing that high numbers of legal professionals are reluctant to disclose their neurodivergence for fear of adverse consequences, organizations and employers should develop awareness and understanding to encourage a committed source of talent with requisite skills to make a positive contribution, says Kevin Athow, general counsel at BSH Home Appliances.

  • Legal Sector Will Benefit From New Data Security Standard

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    The U.K. Information Commissioner's Office-approved new privacy certification scheme for the legal profession will inevitably become the default for law firms, chambers and vendors to prove their U.K. General Data Protection Regulation compliance, says Orlagh Kelly at Briefed.

  • PR Perspectives: Navigating UK And US Legal PR Differences

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    Despite apparently negligible differences between U.S. and U.K. legal systems, public relations requires an understanding of regional nuances and complex legal issues, and U.K.-based PR professionals looking to gain traction in the U.S. must adapt their strategies accordingly to achieve successful cross-jurisdictional campaigns, say Ben Finnis and Elizabeth Rincon at Greentarget.

  • Spartan Arbitration Tactics Against Well-Funded Opponents

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    Like the ancient Spartans who held off a numerically superior Persian army at the Battle of Thermopylae, trial attorneys and clients faced with arbitration against an opponent with a bigger war chest can take a strategic approach to create a pass to victory, say Kostas Katsiris and Benjamin Argyle at Venable.

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