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Post-Mazur compliance for firms: High Court bans unqualified staff from conducting litigation; operational upheaval, costs disputes and regulatory responses in England and Wales

Published on: 22 October 2025

Published by a Law360 reporter
Legal News
Article summary

The High Court ruled in September 2025 that non-solicitors and employees without specific litigation rights cannot conduct litigation

A High Court ruling has placed the finances of some practices at risk, particularly those dependent on paralegals, trainees and Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) members. Damian Bradley, partner and head of legal operations at Express Solicitors Ltd, an injury claims practice, warned the judgment could render certain work non-viable and lead to closures. He noted that outfits built around a CILEX member with numerous unqualified assistants handling high-volume cases may find compliance impossible, leaving them in a state of limbo.

The decision in Julia Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys LLP, delivered on 16 September 2025, has left firms grappling with weeks of uncertainty. Judge Clive Sheldon concluded that the Legal Services Act 2007 bars unqualified law firm staff from conducting litigation, while confirming they may still assist qualified lawyers.

Bradley cautioned that the consequences could be especially severe for businesses reliant on high-volume, low value litigation work, where the economics are tight and operational models heavily utilise non-solicitor resource. Some case types may no longer stack up commercially under the clarified restrictions, heightening concerns across the sector...

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