Blog
The Home Office’s new “early ILR concession”
Oliver Oldman
5 November 2019
StaRs: Reporting concerns - understanding your obligations
In the second blog in this series, we referred to the cooperating and reporting obligations in the new Codes of Conduct being notably different, when compared to corresponding provisions in the 2011 Code of Conduct and to other rules and regulations in the 2011 Handbook.
31 October 2019
Ethics and what’s expected of you
It’s not the SRA that protects the public from rogue solicitors and law firms. It is the ethical choices underpinning the millions of decisions made by lawyers every day when no one is looking. Ethics is personal and while the SRA can set standards, guide conduct and provide the right framework and enforce robustly, it cannot watch over everyone all the time. Nor should it.
24 October 2019
Understanding the new SRA Principles and Code: the long read
In November 2015, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) published its position paper “Looking to the Future”, through which it committed to a phased review of the SRA Handbook and its overall approach to regulation. It was also at this stage that a new regulatory model, with two distinct strands, was first proposed. This model sought, on the one hand, to regulate individuals through education and entry standards, on-going competence and ethical behaviours. On the other hand, it sought to regulate firms, with emphasis being on their systems and controls.
22 October 2019
Reach for the StaRs!
Are we nearly there yet?
As most in the legal profession are now aware, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) will be launching its new set of Standards and Regulations (known now by many as the “StaRs”) on 25 November 2019. The StaRs could herald a new era in legal regulation in which there will be a distinct shift in focus, both in terms of what the SRA considers to be its priorities as a regulator (of both individuals and firms), and in what the SRA expects of those it regulates.
28 November 2018
SRA Handbook: The 5 changes you need to know about
The Legal Services Board has now approved a comprehensive re-draft of the SRA Handbook. These new rules will be known as the SRA Standards and Regulations. These are due to replace the SRA Handbook at a date yet to be fixed between April and June 2019. Five of the key changes are summarised below.