We provide a clear path through the most complex regulatory issues

There have long been calls for better oversight and regulation of the beauty industry. As an example, ahead of the General Dental Council (‘GDC’) taking appropriate action leading to the Court confirming that teeth whitening amounts to the ‘practice of dentistry’ under section 37 of the Dentists Act 1984, these services were regularly being provided by untrained practitioners on the high street, often leading to injury to the public.

One of the hottest topics in solicitor regulation is how far the SRA’s regulatory powers reach beyond a solicitor’s professional life.   This topic has caused heated debate when dealing with allegations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate posts on social media.   One would expect that the world of solicitors’ undertakings would not be part of this debate.  However, the recent decision of the Supreme Court suggests that a true solicitors’ undertaking arises in relatively narrow circumstances and as such many undertakings given by solicitors fall outside their professional work and should not engage the SRA Codes of Conduct.

The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement will greatly affect the way we do business
with the EU. Jessica Clay and Ilda de Sousa look at the impact on solicitors.

Just a couple of weeks after the BEIS’ white paper consultation on audit and corporate governance reform closed for responses, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has published its annual audit quality inspection results for 2020/21 of Britain’s 7 largest audit firms (the ‘AQR results’).

Every solicitor knows that an undertaking is serious stuff.   Arguably it is the greatest power available to a solicitor.  A promise, if broken, that will lead to immediate and serious consequences for the giver.  As such it can be relied upon to the ends of the earth.  The power of undertakings has meant that they sit at the heart of every property transaction, bridging the time gap between the sending of money and the receiving of title.  They are also used in other areas of commercial life and as part of litigation.  The “brand” of a solicitor’s undertaking is so powerful that little thought is given as to where their power comes from. 

Poor investigation and disciplinary proceedings in universities for students accused of academic or non-academic misconduct are unfortunately common.  But what should Universities be doing to support those who are the subject of an investigation and how should universities ensure their procedures protect all parties involved?

The Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) has issued new guidance for professional accountants on the boundaries of professional and private behaviour, setting out for the first time a list of agreed common principles which will apply when a professional accountant’s behaviour in their personal life could become of regulatory interest to their professional body.

On 29 April 2021 the Fire Safety Act received Royal Assent after a protracted passage through Parliament. For those working in the built environment, the Act brings greater fire safety responsibilities, Hannah Eales of Kingsley Napley explains;

UK industry regulators are expected to take action if  rms have a toxic working environment on racial diversity.

In September 2020 the FCA published a statement regarding the listing of cannabis-related businesses (CRBs) in the UK. Since then several CRBs have been admitted to the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and appetite for investments in the medicinal cannabis industry continues to grow.

Dr Azubuike Valentine Udoye (“Dr U”) appeared before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal (“the Tribunal”) facing allegations of dishonesty relating to his route of qualification as a General Practitioner (“GP”) in the United Kingdom. On 30 January 2020, the Tribunal found that his fitness to practise was not impaired, dismissing allegations of misconduct against Dr U. The General Medical Council (“the GMC”) appealed to the High Court against this decision, under its powers set out in section 40A of the Medical Act 1983.

This week, the Government announced that Covid-19 vaccinations will be made compulsory for care home staff, raising strong emotions on both sides of the argument.

Ollie Robinson recently made his international debut for the England Cricket Team against New Zealand on 2 June 2021. However, for what should have been a memorable milestone for the 27-year-old as he took two of the three wickets on the first match of the Test series at Lord's, the occasion was instead marred by the media coverage surrounding historic racist and misogynistic posts on Robinson’s Twitter account that were unearthed that very same day.

New guidelines from the Office for Students are a step in the right direction for how serious allegations should be handled.

The UK’s legal market is rich and variegated. Firms come in different sizes, excel in different ways, have different geographical locations and in some cases different national heritages. To the outsider, some firms may seem similar to others of comparable size, location or work type. How they will differ is often only really understood by those that work there. 

On 27 May 2021, the Care Quality Commission (the “CQC”) launched its new strategy which 'champions regulation driven by people's experiences of care'.  The central tenet of the strategy is an 'unremitting focus on safety, requiring a culture across health and care that enables people to speak up and in this way share learning and improvement opportunities'.

As the world has made technological advances and more of us are working from home than ever before, we are all too familiar with computer problems whilst at work. However, whilst in some instances such glitches may give rise to a legitimate cause of action, the High Court determined that this will not always be the case.

Julie Norris and Jessica Clay consider SRA entity regulation and the imperative to create an ethical (ergo, compliant) legal workplace.

The pandemic has highlighted the importance of good mental health and resilience both in and out of the office. Bronwen Still and Lucinda Soon consider your obligations