SRA also publishes report outlining its investigatory work in 2017/18
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) together with the Legal Ombudsman have created a helpful guide for members of the public who are unhappy or have a problem with their solicitor.
The 4-page guide can be downloaded here. Printed copies for you or your organisation can also be requested from the SRA here.
The short guide sets out some examples of what might be considered grounds for unhappiness or complaint and it lets you know who you should contact to seek help.
It notes: "The Legal Ombudsman could help you if you are not happy with your solicitor's work or service and need to put things right. The Solicitors Regulation Authority could help you if you think a solicitor might be dishonest or you have concerns about their behaviour."
The guide is part of the SRA's wider range of resources on problems with law firms and individuals, which can be accessed here.
In addition, the SRA together with the Youth Justice Legal Centre and Just for Kids Law have produced an easy-to-read leaflet that tells young people how solicitors can help them if they get into trouble.
The illustrated 2-page leaflet can be accessed from the SRA's website here.
Meanwhile, the SRA today published a report outlining the investigation, supervision and enforcement work it carried out during the period November 2017 to October 2018.
You can download the 39-page report here.
The Chair of the SRA Board writes in the report's foreword: "Most solicitors and law firms do a good job, providing high-quality legal services to the public and to businesses within a robust ethical framework. But, when things go wrong, we have to take firm and fair action to make sure that standards are upheld and that the public can continue to place confidence in both individual solicitors and the profession as a whole."
On immigration and asylum law, the report notes: "Immigration and asylum are high-risk areas of law and clients are often very vulnerable, and the consequences and impact of the decisions made can be significant. We undertook a review of the quality of advice for asylum seekers in 2016. It showed both good practice and areas for concern. During 2017/18, we also continued to investigate reports of totally without merit judicial review claims in immigration and asylum work. Several firms were referred to the SDT [Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal] as a result of our concerns, such as, among other things, the impact on the administration of justice."