Graves could be reused under new Law Commission proposals
Graves could be reused and closed burial sites reopened under proposals published by the Law Commission. The commission’s final report of its review of burial and cremation law has made a number of recommendations aimed at “simplifying, clarifying, and modernising the law” to ensure it offers suitable protections to people arranging burials and cremations and […]
‘Act now on wills’ law makers urged, as Law Commission recommendations remain unfulfilled
The Law Society of England and Wales has renewed its call for the government to act on reforming the law governing the writing of wills. Six months on from the Law Commission’s seminal Modernising Wills Law report in May 2025, the Law Society has called on law-makers to “act now” and implement the reforms outlined […]
SRA pays out £9m to ‘most urgent’ PM Law transactions after receiving 250 applications to compensation fund
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has provided £9 million in compensation to clients of PM Law, which closed unexpectedly at the start of February. The money has been largely used to facilitate property transactions which have been delayed as a result of the closure of the Sheffield law firm and its 20-plus affiliate firms. The […]
Government launches digital ID consultation
The Government is seeking views on how digital ID could be used to make public services quicker, easier and more secure to access. Launching a national public consultation, Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, said the government needs to catch up with services offered by the private sector, such as online banking. […]
‘Impossible for LSB to meet objectives’, Legal Services Consumer Panel warns
The Legal Services Consumer Panel has shared its critical response to the Ministry of Justice’s review of the Legal Services Board, claiming its “fragmented and outdated regulatory design” make it impossible to meet its statutory objectives. The Panel – an independent arm of the Legal Services Board – says the LSB is constrained by the […]
SMEs would bear the brunt of proposals to fund access to justice through client accounts – CILEX
Small to medium sized law firms could be unfairly and disproportionately penalised under Ministry of Justice (MoJ) plans to redistribute interest from client accounts to fund access to justice, the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) claims. The proposed Interest on Lawyers’ Client Accounts (ILCA) would represent a “further tax and compliance burden which could […]
Law Society backs LSB’s EDI plans but warns of burden on small firms
The Law Society of England and Wales has responded to the Legal Services Board’s (LSB) draft statement of policy on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), broadly supporting a strengthened regulatory approach but raising concerns about the potential impact of universal EDI reporting requirements on smaller firms. The LSB published its draft policy statement, Encouraging a […]
LSB announces preferred candidate for OLC chair
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has announced Richard Blakeway as its preferred candidate for the post of chair of the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC). The LSB’s recommendation, which came about after an open competition, has been approved by the minister of state for justice, Sarah Sackman KC MP. Blakeway was appointed as housing ombudsman […]
Jersey approves assisted dying bill but awaits Royal Assent
Jersey has become the second territory of the British Isles to formally pass legislation which would enable terminally ill adults to have an assisted death, after a similar bill passed in the Isle of Man just under a year ago. After reviewing a series of amendments on Wednesday, the States Assembly, Jersey’s parliament, formally passed […]
CILEX opens submissions at Mazur appeal
The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) has opened submissions at the Court of Appeal in its appeal against the ruling in Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys, which limited the extent to which legal executives and paralegals can conduct litigation. Nick Bacon KC outlined the arguments from CILEX before Master of the Rolls Sir Geoffrey […]
SRA confirms ‘potential fraud and missing client money’ at PM Law
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has formally confirmed it is investigating “potential fraud, including the misappropriation of client money” at the Sheffield-based law firm PM Law after it unexpectedly closed on Monday 2nd February. In a statement published on the SRA website, Jonathan Peddie, executive director of legal and enforcement, confirmed the regulator is looking into […]
SRA ‘will profile law firms’ to identify warning signs of collapse
The Solicitors Regulation Authority will profile law firms to help identify those at risk of collapse, chief executive Sarah Rapson (pictured) has said. Speaking to the Law Society Gazette this week, Rapson said the SRA will prioritise proactive action and “getting ahead of the risks” in the wake of high-profile failures at Axiom Ince, SSB […]
LSB should strengthen oversight to safeguard consumers, Law Society says
The Legal Services Board (LSB) should continue to strengthen its oversight of regulators’ performance to avoid consumer harm and prevent collapses such as Axiom Ince and SSB Group from happening again, the Law Society of England and Wales says. The comments were made in the Law Society’s response to the LSB’s 2026/2027 business plan consultation, […]
Legal Ombudsman complaints data shows record levels of demand
The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has published its complaint data for Q3 of 2025/26 which reveals “a sustained and accelerating demand” for help and the highest complaint volumes for any previous quarter on record. The number of new complaints received by the LeO increased by 29.8% in the reporting period, which covers 1 October to 31 […]
Probate fraud allegations emerge in £27.8m estate dispute
The High Court has received allegations of probate fraud in proceedings between the children of motor racing legend Sir Stirling Moss over the £27.8 million estate of his widow, Lady Susie Moss, who died in 2023 (the couple pictured in 2015). The dispute involves Sir Stirling’s daughter from his second marriage, Allison Bradley, and his […]
Client account consultation deadline extended
The deadline to have your say on the Ministry of Justice’s plans to use lawyer’s client account interest to fund access to justice has been extended by four weeks to 9th March, from 9th February. The MoJ has signalled it could target interest on client accounts in its recent client money consultations, describing the potential […]
Will overturned as High Court clarifies law on testamentary capacity and mental illness
The High Court has overturned a 2014 will at the centre of a long-running family dispute, in a case which clarifies the law on testamentary capacity and mental illness. Claire Cox (pictured), partner at Gloucestershire law firm Willans LLP, won the case on behalf of the four daughters of Michael Gwilliam of the Forest of […]
LeO shares early resolution advice to cut ‘unnecessary escalation’
The latest Spotlight article from the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) focuses on early resolution, with practical steps for legal service providers to follow to resolve complaints at first tier. Clear communication, timely responses and proportionate remedies will all help resolve complaints before they escalate unnecessarily, the LeO says, leading to faster outcomes for customers. In 2024/25, […]
Law Society ‘disappointed’ at lack of solicitors among 96 new KCs
Following the announcement that 96 barristers have been appointed as new King’s Council (KC) in England and Wales, the Law Society of England and Wales says it is “extremely disappointed” that no solicitors have been awarded the accolade. Monisha Shah, chair of the King’s Council selection panel, said the panel seeks to ensure the selection […]
OPG appeals for wills and probate lawyers to report suspicious attorneys online
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is encouraging wills and probate lawyers and legal professionals to report concerns about attorneys or deputies who may not be acting in the best interest of the person they support. Last year, OPG teams handled more than 11,000 concerns, but only around a third fell within the organisation’s […]