By Gabriel Princewill-
A new assessement of the advocacy standards of solicitors for the year ahead has been published by the Solicitors Regulation Authority today.
The regulator said that standards of representation within the criminal and civil justice system is to be assessed to ensure minimum standards in the kegal profession.
The initiative has been required by the judiciary, which seeks to ensure that standards across the boards do not fall below the minimum required, in order to safeguard the interest of the public. The standards being assessed by the judiciary includes those executed by both solicitors and barristers, though the focus of SRA will be on solicitors, a spokesperson for the regulator told The Eye Of Media.Com
Standards of professionalism vary across the board among solicitors as they do in every field, with some providing higher standards than others to their clients. When those standards fall below the minimum level expected, it is to the detriment of the affected parties, and in some cases bring the legal profession to disrepute.
Multiple solicitors over the years have faced disciplinary action, including being struck off, following referrals from the SRA to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, who examine the details in a hearing and deliver a verdict which is subsequently published.
Embodied in the plans by the SRA’s business plan is the delivering of the new Solicitors Qualifying Examination, including the first assessment sittings of both SQE1 and SQE2.
The SRA also plans to support the adoption of technology and innovation in the legal sector including by building new partnerships in the lawtech arena, and further increase proactive monitoring and regulating of anti-money laundering arrangements within the profession.
The regulator also said their plans includes delivering a range of horizon scanning and research initiatives, including into factors underpinning the attainment gap in professional assessments and over representation of black and ethnic minority solicitors within disciplinary processes.
The SRA spokesperson said : ”in terms of proportionality, there are too many black solicitors presented for disciplinary processes as presented in an earlier report this year. We intend to examine why that has been the case”.
Tackling cybercrime and strengthening its commitment to environmental and climate issues through our work is also listed amongst its objectives.
Linked to this issue, the regulator is also considering ways to ’improve competence’ among qualified solicitors and how to identify poor practice and areas of increased risk to clients. While extra support for solicitors is part of the business plan, the SRA is considering whether it needs more regulatory tools to respond to poor practice, with a longer-term strategic review possibly getting underway in the next year.
On anti-money laundering, the SRA pledges to review its rolling programme of visits to law firms and will expand this further during 2022. The next year will also feature the publication of a thematic review of the role of money laundering officers in law firms.
Philip, SRA Chief Executive said: ‘This is the second year we have consulted on our forward business plan and budget. We welcome the interest and engagement from so many people in our work and the broad agreement with our priority areas and key workstreams.
‘The world has of course changed significantly in the last 18 months and it will take some time for the implications of the pandemic on the legal sector to be properly understood. We must be agile and responsive to make sure high professional standards and public protection are maintained.
‘That is why we will be doing more horizon-scanning, so that we can identify any issues as early as possible and take any steps needed. And this plan also outlines our work in a range of key areas as we deliver major work programmes such as the SQE, the evaluation of our Standards and Regulations and supporting the adoption of technology and innovation.’