More than a thousand people have signed up to take the first ever Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) assessment in November. The new single assessment sets consistent high standards for solicitors at the point of entry into the profession. Bookings for the first SQE1 assessment closed last week. The majority of bookings – 74 per cent –…
New guidelines published for legal professionals practising within the Coroners’ Courts
The Bar Standards Board, with the Solicitors Regulation Authority and CILEx Regulation have outlined new guidelines for solicitors, barristers and CILEx advocates working in the Coroners court. This includes: A set of competences which spell out the standards expected of lawyers by the regulators and the public Guidance and other resources to help make sure…
LSB sets clear expectations for regulators to improve consumer information, promote rights, and drive choice in the legal services market across England and Wales
The LSB in partnership with regulators is working ensure legal services providers offer helpful information to consumers about the cost and quality of their services and on redress and regulation, so consumers can make informed decisions. The LSB is also proposing that regulators implement effective programmes of activity to support public legal education, focusing on…
Bar Standards Board of England and Wales publishes new research on consumers’ expectations and experience of working with barristers
On the 4th of August, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) published research on consumers’ expectations and experience of working with barristers, with the goal of using an evidence-based approach to better understand consumer needs and barrister relationships. The research, which was undertaken by an independent research agency involved in-depth interviews with 50 consumers, all of…
Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales publishes results of study into innovation in the legal sector
The Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales (SRA) has published the results of its independent study into innovation in the legal sector, commissioned in March. The study was carried out on behalf of the SRA by a research team at the University of Oxford which included Professors Mari Sako and John Armour. The study…
Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales publishes latest annual reports
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has published its suite of annual reports, which cover five core topics, these are: ‘Anti-money Laundering‘, ‘Authorisation‘, ‘Client Protection‘, ‘Education and Training‘ and ‘Upholding Professional Standards‘. Key findings from the reports include: There has been a year-on-year increase in the number of solicitors qualifying through apprenticeships, firms offering recognised training…
Legal Services Board of England and Wales research finds that consumers are missing out on legal expense insurance
A new report by the Legal Services Board of England and Wales (LSB) includes calls for legal expenses insurance to be promoted more widely to consumers, in order to widen access to legal advice amongst the public. The report estimates that 3.6 million people in England and Wales experience unmet legal need as part of…
Legal Services Board of England and Wales research shows public support for ongoing competence checks
Newly commissioned research by the Legal Service Board of England and Wales (LSB) as part of their wider work on ongoing competence, has demonstrated that the public places high importance on lawyers having up to date knowledge and skills, and the right attributes to provide high-quality services. The report also showed that there was a…
Bar Standards Board of England and Wales publishes new statistics on the outcomes of complaints about barristers
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has published a new statistical analysis examining the outcomes of complaints made about barristers in England and Wales between January 2015 and October 2019. The research was particularly focused on investigating the relationship between the outcomes of, and the likelihood of a complaint being made, and specific characteristics of barristers,…
Australia, Ireland, Scotland and England and Wales Bar publish new diversity and admissions data
New reports on admissions and diversity in the legal profession have been released by the Australian Conference of Law Societies, the Legal Services Regulatory Authority of Ireland (LSRA), the Law Society of Scotland and the Bar Standards Board of England and Wales. Australia The 2020 National Profile of Solicitors in Australia, produced on behalf of…