Archives: Professional

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AI – stark reminder

July/August 2025 | Professional

Hopefully practitioners were shocked at the recent HC case where lawyers presented fake case citations to a court which had been generated by the use of AI. The words of the judge should ring in everyone’s ears: ‘2. The referrals arise out of the actual or suspected use by lawyers of generative artificial intelligence tools …

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LSAG – remote working

July/August 2025 | Professional

We referred to an LSAG advisory note on ID&V in our May 2025 edition (p30). The same advisory note gives some useful guidance for firms on issues to consider when working remotely: ‘You should consider whether your policies, controls and procedures remain appropriate and whether they need adjustment to reflect the ways and methods by …

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Duties – personal and professional

July/August 2025 | Professional

Solicitors who are regulated by the SRA are reminded of a recent SDT decision which reinforces the point that there is often little demarcation between professional and private life. The solicitor was before the SDT in relation to a complaint of ‘touching’ work colleagues during an outing. The SRA summarised the position as follows: ‘It …

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Law Society – money laundering

July/August 2025 | Professional

The Law Society has issued a useful reminder relating to identifying money laundering risk in the property market. Practitioners are reminded that ‘conveyancing is one of the highest risk legal services identified in the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) sectoral risk assessment.’ The case studies look at some of the money laundering warning signs solicitors and …

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Contract – WhatsApp

June 2025 | Professional

The Technology and Construction Court has handed down an important decision which could have far-reaching consequences. The hearing was concerned with a construction dispute; the claimant is a property developer and the defendant trades as a demolition contractor. The dispute arises out of demolition works at a site that the claimant was developing in Norwich. …

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Apprenticeship – funding

June 2025 | Professional

Law firms thinking of taking on apprentices should be aware of a change to the age eligibility criteria in the funding arrangements, recently announced by the government: ‘Changes to funding for level 7 apprenticeships The government is refocusing investment towards young people at the start of their working lives, rather than those already in work …

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LAA – data breach

June 2025 | Professional

The LAA’s online digital services were subject to a cyber attack on 23 April. Affected firms will be all too aware. The LAA states: ‘On Friday 16 May we discovered the attack was more extensive than originally understood and that the group behind it had accessed a large amount of information relating to legal aid …

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