The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has taken significant steps to address the delays in investigating solicitors, resulting in a major reduction of old cases.
- Over the past year, new processes and guidance have been implemented to improve efficiency and decision-making quality within the SRA.
- Tougher targets introduced last year aimed to speed up investigations, although the goal of resolving 70% of cases within 10 months remains unmet.
- The restructuring has resulted in significant reductions in the number of prolonged cases, enhancing accountability and effectiveness.
- Continuous improvement efforts are in place to further refine the SRA’s investigative processes and ensure timely resolutions.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has intensified efforts to streamline its investigation and enforcement processes, significantly decreasing the number of cases older than two years. This initiative aligns with new, stringent targets aimed at expediting complaint processing against solicitors. Despite these advances, the objective of settling 70% of investigations within 10 months remains unmet, with only a 52% resolution achieved.
In July 2023, the SRA adopted the ‘lean six sigma’ methodology, introducing new processes and guidance to cultivate a more efficient working environment. As per a recently published report presented to the SRA board, these measures have established clearer, more consistent expectations and improved performance monitoring. This organisational shift is bolstering compliance with tighter timeframes and enhancing customer service standards.
The investigative team expanded in size from 195 to 236 staff over two years, reducing the average caseload per investigator significantly. Consequently, the SRA met all its primary timeliness goals: completing 80% of initial assessments within two months and concluding 93% of investigations within a year post-assessment. Additionally, by June 2024, cases exceeding two years in duration reduced by 63%, exemplifying the drive towards efficiency.
Moreover, the substantial decrease in the number of prolonged investigations has inevitably doubled the referrals to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal this year, with an increased speed in lodging these referrals. Although the total work in progress remains steady at roughly 1,600 active investigations, the volume of reports has shown an upward trend this year.
The SRA acknowledges that the initial target of 70% case resolution within 10 months was ambitious, understanding it as a metric to gauge the impact of recent changes. Nevertheless, the improvements in decision-making quality and file management are evident, with the number of delay-related complaints declining significantly from 3.7 to 1.6 per month.
The SRA’s concerted efforts demonstrate progress, while further enhancements continue to be pursued in its investigative procedures.
