The amended Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules commenced on 1 July 2026 and apply to every solicitor, not only practices captured by the AML/CTF regime. There are three key areas practitioners need to review: client acceptance under Rule 8, ceasing to act under Rule 13, and engagement letters under the new Rule 12. If you have not yet reviewed your client intake procedures, retainer documentation and approach on ceasing to act, now is the time.
Australia's Tranche 2 AML/CTF obligations commence on 1 July 2026, and for legal practitioners providing designated services, that deadline is now only weeks away.
From enrolling with AUSTRAC and completing your ML/TF risk assessment, to implementing customer due diligence procedures and training your staff, there's a clear sequence of steps every practice needs to work through. To help you navigate this, we've put together an easy-to-follow timeline and checklist covering every step your practice needs to take before the deadline.
As lawyers increasingly rely on technology, now more than ever, law firms need to implement measures to safeguard their business. In our course, Lawyers' Ethical Duties in the Digital Age, Zahn Nel, CIO of FilePro Legal Practice Management Software, explores 4 critical safeguarding measures and provides practical steps law firms can take to protect their firm against cyber risks.
From incorrect redactions to inadvertently disclosing confidential client information, there is plenty of evidence of lawyers using technology incompetently. But as technology becomes embedded in modern legal practice - lawyers must educate themselves about technology or face the risk of failing to uphold their ethical duties.
Email is an indispensable tool for almost all lawyers. It's fast and easy to use - but it can also lead to serious ethical breaches if it's not managed carefully. Check out these tips from our courses, Working Effectively with Email and Ethics and Email, to learn practical steps lawyers can take to navigate the perils of email successfully.
Innovation has become critical for firms looking to thrive in the disrupted legal industry – but there are still barriers that need to be overcome before a firm can fully embrace legal innovation. Lay the groundwork for sustainable innovation by changing your team’s approach to change, innovation and collaboration.
Simone Herbert-Lowe is the founder and director of Law & Cyber, where she offers legal advice, risk management and consultancy services to businesses and individuals with a focus on cyber threats. As a popular speaker and regular contributor to Australasian Law Management Journal and the Law Society of NSW Journal, Simone is widely recognised as a thought leader on cyber risks and professional duties in Australia. We spoke with Simone about her passion to educate lawyers about cyber threats, the common misconceptions lawyers have regarding cyber risks and what steps lawyers and law firms can take to avoid falling victim to cyber crimes.
The way people work is changing, and the new generation of lawyers is championing new work arrangements to improve work/life balance. As the advantages of flexible work start to outweigh the perceived associated risks, law firms need to adapt to remain competitive and to ensure that flexible work is implemented in a way that can benefit all.
