The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has introduced temporary restrictions on Jeremy Brooke, the co-founder of SSB Group, amid ongoing inquiries.
- The interim conditions prevent Mr Brooke from taking up roles such as compliance officer, owner, or manager within any SRA-regulated firms.
- Mr Brooke is barred from engaging in or overseeing legal activities related to litigation involving conditional fee agreements and damages-based agreements.
- The investigation, initially due for completion by this autumn, has been extended to early 2025 due to its complexity.
- The SRA’s investigation highlights broader concerns regarding the effectiveness and public protection within the bulk litigation market.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) introduced temporary measures on the operations of Jeremy Brooke, co-founder of SSB Group, as part of its investigation into potential misconduct. These conditions, labelled as interim, prevent Mr Brooke from assuming roles like compliance officer, owner, or manager in any law firm under SRA regulation. Additionally, he is prohibited from participating in or supervising legal activities tied to litigation involving conditional fee agreements (CFAs) and damages-based agreements (DBAs).
This development underscores the seriousness with which the SRA views the matter, as these steps are intended to protect the public and maintain the integrity of legal services. The SRA has acknowledged the public interest in swiftly resolving this investigation, which was initially scheduled for completion in 2024. However, the complexity and breadth of the evidence have necessitated an extension into early 2025.
Jeremy Brooke, who played a pivotal role as the chief executive of SSB Group, is not believed to be practising law at this moment. In a 2022 conference, he once stated his admiration for market pioneers, indicating a strategy of entering existing markets and outperforming competitors. Nevertheless, during this period, the firm’s expansion into various areas of volume claims marked significant growth under his leadership.
The SRA’s current investigation also extends to former clients of SSB and another defunct firm, Pure Legal. Discrepancies in a prior update about Pure Legal required corrections, reflecting the challenges of this ongoing examination. The SRA aims to address wider questions about the bulk litigation market’s efficiency and whether consumer protections are adequate.
Additional scrutiny has emerged from a recent report by the Legal Services Board, which is reviewing the SRA’s handling of the collapse of SSB and the failed Axiom Ince. Concurrently, the Civil Justice Council’s working group is evaluating the downfall of SSB Law, which left a significant debt to financiers, within the broader context of portfolio funding. These inquiries are crucial in understanding and potentially reforming existing legal frameworks to ensure robust consumer protection.
This investigation by the SRA into Jeremy Brooke’s practice and the broader implications for the legal market signifies a pivotal moment for the sector.
