Trends in International Employment Hires
April 6th, 2023 by Stuart Smith
Large global companies with specialist HR business partners and a well-developed relocation scheme, are familiar with the issues surrounding legal, payroll and tax that need to be considered in an international context. However, many smaller companies looking to expand into the UK and perhaps from the UK into European countries, often find the multiplicity of […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on Trends in International Employment Hires
Beyond ChatGPT: AI Considerations For Law Firms
March 29th, 2023 by Stuart Smith
This article was first published in Law360 on March 24 2023. Since the launch late last year of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot, there have been numerous articles asking whether it or other forms of artificial intelligence will replace the need for lawyers, or even put them out of business altogether. In response to this […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on Beyond ChatGPT: AI Considerations For Law Firms
Negligence and Regulatory Misconduct: The Importance of Self-Reporting
March 29th, 2023 by Mitchell Blythe
This article was first published on the Lockton website. A recent regulatory settlement agreement relating to an attempt by a solicitor to cover up a mistake is a useful reminder for law firms of the circumstances where negligence and regulatory misconduct can overlap, and when it may be appropriate for firms to consider self-reporting misconduct […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on Negligence and Regulatory Misconduct: The Importance of Self-Reporting
Law Firm Demergers: Issues to Consider
February 16th, 2023 by Stuart Smith
Zulon Begum, Partner, and non-contentious partnership law specialist, has authored a practice note for the Practical Law Company’s new Practice Compliance and Management resource hub. The practice note is essential reading for senior managers of law firms that are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in England and Wales and who may be considering demerging or divesting parts of […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on Law Firm Demergers: Issues to Consider
‘Ethnicity Pay Gap Day’, on 8 January 2023, was a reminder that the issue has stagnated despite there being recognition, for at least the last five years, that pay gap reporting provides employers with good statistical data to help them analyse whether there are disparities in the diversity of their workforce which could be overcome. […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on The Challenges of Mandatory Ethnicity Pay Gap Reporting
10 Legal and Regulatory Issues for Law Firms to Consider in Managing an Investigation into Partner Misconduct
January 25th, 2023 by Stuart Smith
In recent years there has been a renewed focus on how misconduct allegations are managed by law firms. That focus has arisen for a variety of reasons, including cultural shifts resulting from the #MeToo movement, generational changes, heightened media scrutiny and regulatory pressures. In this article, first published for ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes Magazine, Regulatory and Professional Discipline […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on 10 Legal and Regulatory Issues for Law Firms to Consider in Managing an Investigation into Partner Misconduct
Andrew Pavlovic, professional discipline and regulatory Partner, has authored a practice note for PLC’s new Practice Compliance and Management resource hub. The practice note is essential reading for Partners and General Counsel having to grapple with potential own interest conflict issues which arise either at the outset or during the course of a matter. […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on Own Interest Conflicts: Essential Reading for Partners and GCs
The SRA’s Warning Notice on Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participations (SLAPPS) follows reports that solicitors are facilitating the suppression of free speech by bringing meritless claims on behalf of wealthy clients to intimidate journalists/the wider media from publishing stories on matters of public interest. The Warning Notice makes clear that acting in this way would breach […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on SLAPPS – What are they and why are the SRA concerned about them?
Do Firms Need to Restructure Due to Recession?
November 22nd, 2022 by Stuart Smith
The UK is facing a period of considerable economic uncertainty. Compared to the past decade, everyone is feeling the effects of increased living costs, high inflation, high interest rates and a recession is on the way, if it is not already here. In this article, first published in IFA Magazine, Partner Corinne Staves considers how wealth management firms […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on Do Firms Need to Restructure Due to Recession?
15 important things Senior Executives often forget or leave to the last minute when considering a move
November 3rd, 2022 by Stuart Smith
Senior Executives on the move are understandably very focused on their new opportunity, and primarily on the terms of their new service agreement (and you can see some tips on this in our Little Book of Senior Executives Appointments & Agreements.) But often in practice the other crucial issues be forgotten or left to the […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on 15 important things Senior Executives often forget or leave to the last minute when considering a move