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NLJ this week: Lawyers behaving badly—misconduct outside of the office

22 October 2020 / John Gould
Issue: 7907 / Categories: Legal News , Procedure & practice , Regulatory , Profession
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If my wife were a solicitor and she had murdered me during lockdown, and if (notwithstanding the many defences available to defence counsel) she had been convicted, I expect she would be struck off. That’s obvious, but is it right?
Would it make any difference if the murderer was one of the saintly and long-suffering associates with whom I work? Suppose the murder was by defenestration from a penthouse during a purely social event?

John Gould considers what is meant by professional misconduct where allegations relate to ‘outside conduct’ in this week’s NLJ.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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