UK legal news on the business of law: firms, deals, people, regulation, courts and legal technology.https://www.lawweek.co.uk/en-gbFri, 16 Oct 2026 10:23:14 GMTeditor@lawweek.co.uk (Law Week)editor@lawweek.co.uk (Law Week)Copyright 2026 Law Week60https://www.lawweek.co.uk/images/lawweek-logo.pnghttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/axiom-ince-executive-enters-further-not-guilty-plea-over-document-destruction-charge/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/axiom-ince-executive-enters-further-not-guilty-plea-over-document-destruction-charge/Muhammad Ali has pleaded not guilty to a further count of conspiracy to destroy documents in the SFO's ongoing prosecution over the collapse of Axiom Ince.Fri, 16 Oct 2026 10:23:14 GMTLaw WeekCourtshttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/moves-and-deals-of-the-week-3-stories-9-to-15-october-2026/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/moves-and-deals-of-the-week-3-stories-9-to-15-october-2026/Every firm, deal and people story Law Week published from 9 to 15 October 2026, one line each.Fri, 16 Oct 2026 07:58:03 GMTLaw WeekDeals & M&Ahttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/hillingdon-law-centre-shuts-for-good-after-funding-shortfall/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/hillingdon-law-centre-shuts-for-good-after-funding-shortfall/The west London law centre, which had served the area for more than 40 years, has permanently closed after an earlier temporary suspension, the Law Centres Network has confirmed.Thu, 15 Oct 2026 06:00:02 GMTLaw WeekFirmshttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/barrister-disbarred-after-legal-aid-fraud-conviction/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/barrister-disbarred-after-legal-aid-fraud-conviction/An independent disciplinary tribunal ordered Rasib Ghaffar to be disbarred following his conviction for conspiracy to defraud the legal aid fund, the Bar Standards Board has said.Wed, 14 Oct 2026 11:00:02 GMTLaw WeekRegulationhttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/sra-names-caroline-corby-as-new-board-chair/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/sra-names-caroline-corby-as-new-board-chair/The Solicitors Regulation Authority has confirmed Caroline Corby will take over as Chair of its Board from 23 November 2026, succeeding Anna Bradley.Wed, 14 Oct 2026 11:00:02 GMTLaw WeekRegulationhttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/dmh-stallard-merges-with-godalming-firm-gbh-law/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/dmh-stallard-merges-with-godalming-firm-gbh-law/Southeast law firm DMH Stallard has announced a merger with GBH Law, a Godalming-based legal practice.Wed, 14 Oct 2026 09:45:56 GMTLaw WeekDeals & M&Ahttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/sra-appoints-shrin-honap-and-ben-allgrove-to-its-board/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/sra-appoints-shrin-honap-and-ben-allgrove-to-its-board/The Solicitors Regulation Authority has named two new Board members who will join in January, replacing Liz Smart and Rob McWilliam.Tue, 13 Oct 2026 06:00:02 GMTLaw WeekPeople & Moveshttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/solicitor-firm-numbers-fall-to-8-923-as-sole-practices-shrink/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/solicitor-firm-numbers-fall-to-8-923-as-sole-practices-shrink/SRA figures for August 2026 count 8,923 regulated law firms, down 110 on a year earlier, while the number of practising solicitors rose by 4,917 to 179,054.Mon, 12 Oct 2026 15:43:48 GMTLaw WeekFirmshttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/children-cases-between-separated-parents-took-52-7-weeks-in-london-against-14-5-in-wales/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/children-cases-between-separated-parents-took-52-7-weeks-in-london-against-14-5-in-wales/Private law children cases in England and Wales took 33.5 weeks on average to conclude in April to June 2026, Ministry of Justice figures show, and neither party had a lawyer in 51% of them.Mon, 12 Oct 2026 15:43:47 GMTLaw WeekCourtshttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/civil-claims-took-69-1-weeks-to-reach-trial-with-oxford-the-slowest-of-the-busier-county-courts/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/civil-claims-took-69-1-weeks-to-reach-trial-with-oxford-the-slowest-of-the-busier-county-courts/Ministry of Justice figures for April to June 2026 show fast, multi and intermediate track claims took an average of 69.1 weeks from issue to trial. At Oxford the average was 90.4 weeks.Mon, 12 Oct 2026 15:43:47 GMTLaw WeekCourtshttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/sra-consults-on-changes-to-solicitor-competence-framework/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/sra-consults-on-changes-to-solicitor-competence-framework/Regulator seeks views on updates to the Statement of Solicitor Competence and functioning legal knowledge, with changes due to take effect from September.Mon, 12 Oct 2026 11:00:02 GMTLaw WeekRegulationhttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/solicitor-struck-off-for-practising-without-insurance-and-misleading-sra/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/solicitor-struck-off-for-practising-without-insurance-and-misleading-sra/Andrew Lee, former sole director of Prometheus Law, has been struck off the Roll after the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal found he acted dishonestly over three years.Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:41:41 GMTLaw WeekRegulationhttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/solicitor-struck-off-over-misleading-evidence-on-service-of-proceedings/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/solicitor-struck-off-over-misleading-evidence-on-service-of-proceedings/Gabriel Awosika missed the deadline to serve a clinical negligence claim on an NHS trust, then told a judge he had served it on time and produced a letter the court found was backdated. The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal found him dishonest and struck him off.Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:41:41 GMTLaw WeekRegulationhttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/binance-group-action-grows-to-2700-claimants-kp-law/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/binance-group-action-grows-to-2700-claimants-kp-law/More than 1,000 retail investors in England and Wales have joined the High Court claim over crypto derivatives allegedly sold without FCA authorisation, days before the regulator opens its new crypto authorisation gateway.Thu, 01 Oct 2026 05:30:00 GMTLaw WeekCourtshttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/what-should-legal-automation-actually-replace/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/what-should-legal-automation-actually-replace/The debate keeps asking how much of the solicitor can be automated away. Dan Yeo argues that is the wrong question, and that the real opportunity is removing the process that surrounds their expertise rather than the expertise itself.Fri, 25 Sep 2026 16:30:00 GMTDan YeoOpinionhttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/legal-fee-finance-platform-lawyerclientconnect-reports-850-fee-earners-signed-up/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/legal-fee-finance-platform-lawyerclientconnect-reports-850-fee-earners-signed-up/LawyerClientConnect, an FCA-regulated credit broker offering finance for legal clients and fee earners, says around 850 fee earners are now represented on its platform six months after launch, and is preparing to launch a fee-advance product for lawyers.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 06:30:02 GMTLaw WeekLegal Techhttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/express-solicitors-reports-record-117-2m-turnover/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/express-solicitors-reports-record-117-2m-turnover/Manchester-based Express Solicitors says it has recorded turnover of £117.2m, according to a statement issued by the firm.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:30:01 GMTLaw WeekFirmshttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/the-commoditisation-of-legal-drafting-an-opinion/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/the-commoditisation-of-legal-drafting-an-opinion/If machines can produce a competent first draft of almost anything, what is a lawyer actually being paid for? An argument about where the value now sits.Sun, 13 Sep 2026 06:30:02 GMTLaw WeekOpinionhttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/firms-move-generative-ai-from-pilot-to-everyday-practice/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/firms-move-generative-ai-from-pilot-to-everyday-practice/Adoption of generative AI tools is spreading from innovation teams to fee-earners, prompting fresh guidance on supervision, confidentiality and professional competence.Tue, 25 Aug 2026 12:25:00 GMTLaw WeekLegal Techhttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/litigation-funders-await-clarity-as-market-reform-nears/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/litigation-funders-await-clarity-as-market-reform-nears/The sector is bracing for the Civil Justice Council's recommendations on third-party funding, two years after the Supreme Court's PACCAR ruling upended standard agreements.Tue, 25 Aug 2026 10:30:00 GMTLaw WeekCourtshttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/reputation-is-the-last-moat-in-an-age-of-commoditised-drafting/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/reputation-is-the-last-moat-in-an-age-of-commoditised-drafting/As machines commoditise the mechanics of legal work, trust, brand and named authority become the only differentiators a firm cannot be undercut on.Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:05:00 GMTSam AllcockOpinionhttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/companies-house-identity-checks-become-mandatory/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/companies-house-identity-checks-become-mandatory/New rules under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act require directors and people with significant control to verify their identity, reshaping day-to-day incorporation work.Tue, 25 Aug 2026 07:45:00 GMTLaw WeekRegulationhttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/partner-hiring-market-stays-competitive-into-autumn/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/partner-hiring-market-stays-competitive-into-autumn/Firms continue to pay up for laterals in disputes, restructuring and energy, even as some practices quietly trim less profitable teams to protect partner profits.Mon, 24 Aug 2026 11:15:00 GMTLaw WeekPeople & Moveshttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/city-firms-post-another-year-of-revenue-growth/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/city-firms-post-another-year-of-revenue-growth/The latest reporting season points to a resilient top line across the largest UK practices, though partners warn that rising costs are steadily squeezing margins.Mon, 24 Aug 2026 08:00:00 GMTLaw WeekFirmshttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/the-billable-hour-isnt-dying-but-the-firms-clinging-to-it-are/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/the-billable-hour-isnt-dying-but-the-firms-clinging-to-it-are/AI is collapsing the time it takes to do legal work, and firms that still sell time by the hour are quietly pricing themselves out of their own efficiency.Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:40:00 GMTSam AllcockOpinionhttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/deal-lawyers-see-ma-pipeline-rebuild-as-rate-cuts-loom/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/deal-lawyers-see-ma-pipeline-rebuild-as-rate-cuts-loom/Corporate teams report a steadier flow of mid-market mandates after a subdued couple of years, with private capital driving much of the renewed activity.Sun, 23 Aug 2026 08:35:00 GMTLaw WeekDeals & M&Ahttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/most-law-firms-still-market-like-its-2005/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/most-law-firms-still-market-like-its-2005/The brochure-and-directory playbook still dominates legal marketing, yet the firms winning the best work have swapped it for something closer to publishing.Sun, 23 Aug 2026 08:15:00 GMTSam AllcockOpinionhttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/sra-widens-anti-money-laundering-crackdown-on-law-firms/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/sra-widens-anti-money-laundering-crackdown-on-law-firms/The regulator has signalled tougher enforcement and more thematic inspections as it presses firms to close persistent gaps in client due diligence and source-of-funds checks.Sat, 22 Aug 2026 13:20:00 GMTLaw WeekRegulationhttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/private-equity-deepens-push-into-legal-services/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/private-equity-deepens-push-into-legal-services/Investors are stepping up acquisitions of consumer-facing firms through alternative business structures, testing how far outside capital can reshape the profession.Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:05:00 GMTLaw WeekDeals & M&Ahttps://www.lawweek.co.uk/restructuring-teams-stay-busy-as-insolvencies-hold-high/https://www.lawweek.co.uk/restructuring-teams-stay-busy-as-insolvencies-hold-high/Elevated company failures and a steady stream of director disqualifications are keeping insolvency and restructuring lawyers among the busiest in the market.Thu, 20 Aug 2026 15:40:00 GMTLaw WeekFirms