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NLJ this week: SIF should stay

28 May 2021
Issue: 7934 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , Insurance / reinsurance
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The closure of the Solicitors indemnity Fund (SIF) should not be treated as a fait accompli, solicitor (non-practising) Andrew Stovin writes in this week’s NLJ.

He argues there is no reason for it to close at all, and questions the ethics of a decision that will deprive retired and retiring solicitors of indemnity cover.

‘The funds were raised from the profession specifically for indemnity purposes and should absolutely remain in place for that purpose,’ he writes.

SIF was a mutual indemnity fund for solicitors which closed in 2000 so solicitors could obtain cover on the open market. It will stop accepting new claims in September this year.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Tech companies will be legally required to prevent material that encourages or assists serious self-harm appearing on their platforms, under Online Safety Act 2023 regulations due to come into force in the autumn
Commercial leasehold, the defence of insanity and ‘consent’ in the criminal law are among the next tranche of projects for the Law Commission
The Bar has a culture of ‘impunity’ and ‘collusive bystanding’ in which making a complaint is deemed career-ending due to a ‘cohort of untouchables’ at the top, Baroness Harriet Harman KC has found
Lawyers have broadly welcomed plans to electronically tag up to 22,000 more offenders, scrap most prison terms below a year and make prisoners ‘earn’ early release
The ex-wife of a Russian billionaire has won her bid to bring her financial relief claim in London, in a unanimous Court of Appeal decision
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