Role of the Solicitors Regulation Authority

The Role of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)

In today's complex legal landscape, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) plays a pivotal role in maintaining the integrity and professionalism of solicitors in England and Wales. In this blog, Dr Richard Dune delves into the SRA's function, importance, and best practices for implementing relevant legislation and regulations.

Key facts and statistics

Established - The SRA was established in 2007, taking over regulatory functions from the Law Society of England and Wales.
Scope - The SRA regulates over 200,000 solicitors and 10,000 firms.
Complaints - In 2020, the SRA received approximately 11,000 complaints about solicitors and firms.

These statistics underscore the SRA's vast responsibility to maintain the legal profession's integrity and public trust.

Key definitions

Solicitor - A legal professional qualified to offer advice, represent clients in court, and conduct legal transactions.
Regulation - The act of controlling or governing according to standards or laws.
Compliance - Adherence to laws, regulations, guidelines, and specifications relevant to an organisation's operations.

The Role of the SRA

The SRA's primary role is to regulate solicitors and their firms to protect the public and ensure high professional standards. This involves:

Setting standards - The SRA sets educational and training standards for solicitors to ensure they are competent to practice.
Enforcing compliance - The SRA ensures solicitors and firms comply with legal and ethical standards through rigorous monitoring and enforcement.
Handling complaints - The SRA investigates complaints about solicitors and firms, taking disciplinary action where necessary.
Providing guidance - The SRA offers guidance on professional conduct, helping solicitors navigate complex legal and ethical issues.

Best practices for implementing SRA regulations

To effectively implement SRA regulations, legal firms should adopt the following best practices:

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) - Solicitors must engage in ongoing professional development to keep their knowledge and skills current. The SRA mandates a minimum of 16 hours of CPD annually, with at least four hours devoted to ethics, professionalism, and compliance.
Robust compliance systems - Firms should establish robust compliance systems, including regular audits, risk assessments, and internal reviews. This ensures adherence to SRA standards and identifies areas for improvement.
Ethics training - Regular ethics training is crucial. Firms should integrate ethics into their training programmes, fostering a culture of integrity and professionalism.
Transparent complaint handling - A transparent and accessible complaint handling process is vital. Firms must ensure clients can easily lodge complaints and that these are handled swiftly and fairly in accordance with SRA guidelines.

Recommendations for legal firms

Legal firms can enhance their compliance with SRA regulations by:

Utilising technology - Leveraging compliance management software like ComplyPlus™ can streamline compliance processes, track training, and ensure adherence to SRA standards.
Regular training - Implementing regular training sessions focused on the latest regulations and ethical standards.
Engaging experts - Consulting with legal compliance experts to review and improve internal processes.

Conclusion

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is essential in maintaining the standards and integrity of the legal profession in England and Wales. By setting standards, enforcing compliance, handling complaints, and providing guidance, the SRA ensures solicitors uphold the highest levels of professionalism and ethics.

Legal firms must adopt best practices, such as continuous professional development, robust compliance systems, ethics training, and transparent complaint handling, to comply with SRA regulations.

Click here to support your compliance efforts; consider using ComplyPlus™, our comprehensive legislation and regulatory compliance management software. With its robust features and user-friendly interface, ComplyPlus™ can help your firm stay compliant and maintain the highest professional standards.

About the author

Dr Richard Dune

With over 20 years of experience, Richard blends a rich background in NHS, the private sector, academia, and research settings. His forte lies in clinical R&D, advancing healthcare tech, workforce development and governance. His leadership ensures regulatory compliance and innovation align seamlessly.