Solicitors Regulation Authority
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| Solicitors Regulation Authority | |
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| Formation | 29 January 2007 |
| Type | Regulatory body |
| Purpose/focus | Regulate solicitors in England and Wales |
| Headquarters | Redditch, Worcestershire, United Kingdom. Also offices at Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire and Coventry |
| Region served | England and Wales |
| Membership | 100,000 solicitors in England and Wales |
| Chief Executive | Antony Townsend |
| Main organ | SRA Board |
| Website | http://www.sra.org.uk |
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) was launched on 29 January 2007. It is the regulatory body for more than 120,000 solicitors in England and Wales. Its purpose is "to set, promote and secure in the public interest standards of behaviour and professional performance necessary to ensure that clients receive a good service and that the rule of law is upheld"[1] .
It was previously known as the Law Society Regulation Board, but changed its name to emphasise its independence; it remains part of the Law Society of England and Wales due to administrative and legal reasons, but operates separately from it.
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[edit] Activities
The Law Society delegated regulatory powers to the SRA and charged it to exercise those functions independently and in the public interest. This was done following a report by Sir David Clementi of all legal services in England and Wales, which recommended that professional bodies holding both regulatory and representative responsibilities should separate those roles. (see Report of the Review of the Regulatory Framework for Legal Services in England and Wales).
Those functions include, but are not limited to: setting down minimum academic and behavioural standards for entry into the profession and ensuring continued compliance with these standards.; the issue of yearly Practising Certificates; the investigation of allegations of a failure to meet the set behavioural standards, and breaches of the Code of Conduct and other rules; intervention into a solicitor's firm in the public interest.
The SRA is headed by Antony Townsend (Chief Executive), who reports to the SRA Board chaired by Charles Plant.
[edit] History
In July 2011 the SRA announced that it would be launching a formal inquiry into the role played by solicitors in the News International phone hacking scandal.[2][3] The SRA confirmed that its investigation would consider the concerns of Labour MP Tom Watson, who had called upon the SRA to investigate News International's former legal adviser Harbottle & Lewis.[2][3]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.sra.org.uk/strategy
- ^ a b "SRA probes solicitors' handling of Hackgate". The Lawyer. 22 July 2011. http://www.thelawyer.com/sra-probes-solicitors-handling-of-hackgate/1008727.article. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
- ^ a b "SRA to investigate lawyers' role in phone-hacking as Yates drafts in Carter-Ruck for libel action". Legal Week. 22 July 2011. http://www.legalweek.com/legal-week/news/2096147/sra-investigate-lawyers-role-hackgate-yates-drafts-carter-ruck-libel-action. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
