LawWorks responds to SRA's strategy

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have been consulting on a new Strategy for 2017-20. LawWorks have responded to the SRA's draft strategy, welcoming the proposed objectives but calling for a stronger focus on access to justice and the contribution of pro bono.

 

The SRA's Strategy will set the regulator's direction of travel for the next three years. Our response to the SRA's proposed strategy focuses on fulfilling the policy intention of the Legal Services Act 2007 (especially the regulatory duty to improve access to justice), and ensuring this is embedded in the SRA's goals and activities. Your can read the SRA's draft strategy here:- 

PDF icon Draft Corporate Strategy 2017-20 (1).pdf

 

In responding to the SRA's strategy, LawWorks outline the importance of the SRA promoting access to justice, especially the contribution pro bono, by calling on the SRA to pursue the following priorities:-

  • encouraging and facilitating  pro bono work as part of social corporate responsibility;

  • adapting the regulatory environment so that individuals and entities providing social welfare law services can thrive;

  • challenging the solicititors' sector over market gaps and promoting greater transparency for consumers, including clarity of information on diagnostic services (eg half hour free appointments) and pathways;   

  • developing tools, policies and programmes directed at early resolution and intervention, public legal education and information, and improving legal capability (in much the same way that the Financial Conduct Authority has taken on its brief on financial inclusion and capability);

  • using its role as the primary accreditor of the system of qualifications and legal education, training and assessment to ‘design in’ social welfare law capabilities into the requirements of solicitor competencies 

Download a copy of our response:

 

LawWorks will also shortly be responding the the SRA's second consultation on the proposed new handbook for solicitors. 

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