header-logo header-logo

Risks to law firms hit record highs

01 August 2018
Issue: 7804 / Categories: Legal News , Criminal
printer mail-detail

A report by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) suggests that risks posed to law firms and the public by money laundering, cybercrime and suspect investment schemes have all reached record highs. Data revealed in the SRA’s annual Risk Outlook report shows that criminals are increasingly targeting law firms in order to steal tens of millions from businesses. Statistics include reports of money laundering relating to law firms having risen by two thirds since 2016; losses of £47.4m since 2015 due to possibly dubious investment schemes; and reports of cybercrime up 50% year-on-year, reaching a record high of 157 in 2017.

Issue: 7804 / Categories: Legal News , Criminal
printer mail-details

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Freeths—Ruth Clare

Freeths—Ruth Clare

National real estate team bolstered by partner hire in Manchester

Farrer & Co—Claire Gordon

Farrer & Co—Claire Gordon

Partner appointed head of family team

mfg Solicitors—Neil Harrison

mfg Solicitors—Neil Harrison

Firm strengthens agriculture and rural affairs team with partner return

NEWS
Conveyancing lawyers have enjoyed a rapid win after campaigning against UK Finance’s decision to charge for access to the Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has launched a recruitment drive for talented early career and more senior barristers and solicitors
Regulators differed in the clarity and consistency of their post-Mazur advice and guidance, according to an interim report by the Legal Services Board (LSB)
The dangers of uncritical artificial intelligence (AI) use in legal practice are no longer hypothetical. In this week's NLJ, Dr Charanjit Singh of Holborn Chambers examines cases where lawyers relied on ‘hallucinated’ citations — entirely fictitious authorities generated by AI tools
The Solicitors Act 1974 may still underpin legal regulation, but its age is increasingly showing. Writing in NLJ this week, Victoria Morrison-Hughes of the Association of Costs Lawyers argues that the Act is ‘out of step with modern consumer law’ and actively deters fairness
back-to-top-scroll