‘We cannot regulate cyber threats away,’ top lawyer warns May 21, 2026 British businesses are facing a growing compliance burden as governments race to respond to rising threats and the rapid spread of AI, but regulation alone may not solve the problem. “We cannot regulate cyber threats away”, partner and head of data and cyber at international law firm RPC Cavan Fabris told Morning Wire. “There’s a [...]
Lawyers say fee hikes punishes profession for regulator blunders May 21, 2026 The legal watchdog plans to raise its funding by increasing lawyer fees to address past shortfalls, but the legal profession is frustrated, arguing they are being forced to pay for the regulator’s own failures and legacy issues, writes Maria Ward-Brennan. Lawyers are not chuffed at the regulator’s plan to increase its fees in the upcoming [...]
Job cuts at Big Four firms fuel worker burnout May 20, 2026 Job cuts at professional services firms are resulting in overworked staff, but the pressures – combined with increased reliance on AI – risk damaging firms’ reputations through mistakes, writes Maria Ward-Brennan. The professional services industry, especially the Big Four giants, has faced its fair share of job cuts, with thousands of roles laid off in [...]
Regulator under pressure as solicitor misconduct reports soar nearly 30 per cent May 18, 2026 Reports about solicitors’ misconduct have spiked by nearly 30 per cent in the past year, new data from the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority (SRA) has revealed. The watchdog, which regulates more than 200,000 solicitors in England and Wales and 9,000 law firms, said there is “a large increase” in misconduct reports and the number of investigations [...]
Jury trial controversy looms over Starmer after King’s Speech points to reform May 13, 2026 Controversial government plans to trim back the use of jury trials were included in the King’s Speech on Wednesday, as an embattled Keir Starmer persevered with an long-trailed overhaul of the UK’s criminal justice system. The Courts Modernisation Bill could become the latest issue over which Downing Street and the parliamentary Labour Party clash at [...]
Poundstretcher seeks rent cuts in survival bid May 7, 2026 Discount retailer Poundstretcher is set to be restructured by its owner, Fortress Investment Group, to reduce property-related overheads and avoid closure. The plan will see the retail chain, which operates 298 stores in the UK, stabilise a “substantial fall in turnover” and rising leasehold costs, the Insolvency and Companies Court heard today. In the High [...]
Divorce costs hit finances beyond lawyer fees, says Octopus legal group May 6, 2026 Divorce costs are financially draining for separating couples in the UK beyond just legal fees, according to a new report from Octopus-owned legal service, Amicable. The report, which surveyed 2,000 UK adults who have either divorced, separated, or dissolved a civil partnership over the last 10 years, found that almost 40 per cent said their [...]
HMRC handed red card in £584,000 football referee tax lawsuit May 5, 2026 HMRC has lost a long-running legal battle against the UK’s football refereeing body over the employment status of 60 referees, after the tax authority issued a £584,000 tax bill. In a judgment on Friday, the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) upheld that the referees were self-employed and not employed by the body, the Professional Game Match [...]
Motor finance provider faces administration amid £9bn redress fallout May 5, 2026 Blue Motor Finance is reportedly on the verge of administration after a series of financial setbacks and pressures stemming from the City regulator’s planned £9bn motor finance redress scheme. The independent motor finance provider is said to be facing a redress bill of over £50m, having lent over £1bn to over 120,000 customers – as [...]
Stephen Fry launches £100k lawsuit against tech conference over fall April 30, 2026 Stephen Fry is suing the organisers of tech conference CogX Festival after falling off the stage at the O2 Arena in London and breaking his leg, pelvis, and ribs. Filed in the High Court, the 68-year-old actor and comedian is alleging in his £100,000 claim that the accident, which happened in 2023, was caused by “negligence” from CogX [...]