SRA finalises three-year strategy after positive response
Solicitors Regulation Authority
2 min read
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has confirmed its three-year strategy, which focuses on high standards and choice for public and solicitors.
This is the first time the SRA has consulted on its strategy and 21 organisations responded. Overall the strategy received a positive response, and there was broad support for its focus.
The SRA has therefore finalised its proposed aims:
1. We will set and apply consistently high professional standards for the individuals and firms we regulate and make sure they are appropriate to meet the challenges of today and the future.
2. We will make sure our regulatory requirements are proportionate, providing solicitors and firms with the flexibility to innovate and better meet the needs of members of the public and businesses, while maintaining appropriate levels of public protection.
3. We will increase the availability of relevant and timely information to help people make informed choices in the legal services market.
4. We will make sure that our regulatory arrangements work as effectively as possible for the public, businesses, solicitors and firms in the context of constitutional developments within the UK and any new relationship with the EU.
5. We will work better together and with others to improve our overall effectiveness, our responsiveness and the delivery of our regulatory functions
It has made some changes to the strategy in the light of consultation. For instance, the strategy now includes the potentially beneficial impact of new technology, which could help the public access legal services in new, more affordable ways. The SRA has also added in the changing obligations on law firms with the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulations and placed more emphasis on anti-money laundering.
Paul Philip, SRA Chief Executive, said: “I am pleased that in the last three years we have improved our customer service, cut bureaucracy, and made changes which will help the public. We have achieved this while reducing our operating costs year-on-year.
“Now it is time to look ahead. We have consulted on our new Corporate Strategy for the first time and received a range of views. The responses show broad support for our approach to creating a diverse, open and modern legal market, helping people to access legal services and enabling firms to thrive.”
The corporate strategy is available on our website: www.sra.org.uk/sra/strategy-2017-2020.page
A summary of responses to the consultation is also available:
www.sra.org.uk/sra/consultations/corporate-strategy-2017-20.page
