Northern Ireland law firm contracted for independent review

20 Dec 2023News

Legal Services Board in collaboration with Carson McDowell, Initiates Independent Review of Axiom Ince Intervention

The Legal Services Board (LSB) has announced its decision to conduct an independent review concerning the sequence of regulatory events that led to the intervention by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) into Axiom Ince. Acknowledging the substantial consumer detriment associated with this case, the LSB believes that establishing an independent assessment will play a crucial role in reinstating both public and professional trust. The primary objective is to identify crucial insights impartially and base conclusions solely on an objective evaluation of the facts.

Scheduled for publication in January 2024, the comprehensive terms of reference for this independent review will outline the scope and direction of the investigation. The LSB aims to unveil the review's findings by spring 2024.

Carson McDowell, a law firm situated in Northern Ireland and not regulated by the SRA, will collaborate with the LSB in conducting this critical evaluation.

Expressing gratitude towards the SRA for its expressed commitment to extend complete cooperation during the review, the LSB aims to ensure a comprehensive, impartial, and fact-based analysis of the events preceding the SRA's intervention into Axiom Ince.

Legal News desk contact: editorial@solicitorsjournal.com

Latest Articles

Agent signatures fail for trust declarations

Court of Appeal rules that declarations of trust over land must be personally signed to satisfy statutory formalities

The UK anti-corruption strategy: pillar one in focus

How the UK’s latest Anti-Corruption Strategy seeks to disrupt corrupt networks, incentivise whistleblowers, and strengthen enforcement

CD&R Galaxy UK Opco Limited fined £33,438

CD&R Galaxy UK Opco Limited has agreed to a financial penalty and investigation costs following regulatory breaches identified by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Using US discovery to support English litigation

How Section 1782 offers a powerful, underused route to obtain US-based evidence for foreign proceedings

FCA priorities and predictions for 2026

A forward-looking assessment of the FCA’s recent focus and what FS regulatory lawyers can expect in the year ahead

Why judge-only trials won’t fix court backlogs

Proposals to curb jury trials risk fairness, worsen delays, and ignore the real causes of Crown Court backlogs

Regulatory progress under Martyn’s Law

Ronnie Megaughin reflects on his experience as Interim Executive Director and shares the important developments made in the regulation of Martyn’s Law over the past six months

International taskforce unveils bribery indicators

The Serious Fraud Office and Five Eyes nations release guidance to identify foreign bribery indicators for businesses

Government appoints interim commissioners to EHRC

The Government has appointed Ali Harris and Professor Shazia Choudhry as interim commissioners at the EHRC while new commissioners are recruited

Joey Barton: where online speech becomes criminal

The sentencing clarifies how courts are drawing limits on free expression in the digital age

Impecuniosity, mitigation and credit hire on appeal

The High Court clarifies the limits of impecuniosity and appellate restraint in challenges to credit hire awards

Lawyer reflects on New York courts

A London lawyer shares insights from his visit to a busy New York City Criminal Court

Employers face potential legal issues

As Christmas parties approach, employers must be aware of increasing legal risks stemming from festive events

Thousands to benefit from legal support

The Deputy Prime Minister announced nearly £20 million funding aimed at improving access to legal services for vulnerable individuals

The UK’s cautious path on AI

The UK is pursuing AI growth through regulatory sandboxes, avoiding prescriptive rules while testing how existing laws apply

SJ Interview: Joelle Grogan

Dr Joelle Grogan is a legal scholar specialising in the rule of law in times of crisis. She presents The Law Show on BBC Radio 4, and is Co-Academic Director of the Rule of Law Clinic at the CEU Democracy Institute (Budapest), and a Senior Research Fellow at the UCD Sutherland School of Law. Her work focuses on constitutional accountability, emergency powers, and legal misinformation. In this interview, she examines the pressures facing the rule of law in the UK, from executive power and court delays to media narratives, emergencies, and the impact of AI on legal practice.

Justice reform risks targeting the wrong fix

As 2026 approaches, ministers eye jury trials while ignoring deeper causes of England’s criminal justice crisis