Peter Williamson
- News
The SRA’s outgoing chair reflects on the ongoing journey towards optimal regulation
Since my decision not to seek reappointment as chair of the Solicitors Regulation Authority beyond this month, I have reflected on both the progress in the regulation of solicitors in recent years and the challenges for the future. With such a vast subject, lack of space precludes mention of all ...
- News
Demonstrating little benefit: the assigned risks pool is draining resources
This autumn has seen by far the most difficult professional indemnity insurance renewal for many years.
- News
QLTS will ensure all UK solicitors will meet the highest standards
For several years the Solicitors Regulation Authority has been working on a new scheme to help ensure that the public can be confident that all solicitors, regardless of how they qualified, are competent to practise in England and Wales. The importance of this is indicated by the fact that about ...
- News
Aspiring sole practitioners need to understand their responsibilities
One of the most persistent myths in the legal profession is that sole practitioner numbers are declining. In fact, there was an increase from just under 3,000 in 1987 to 4,130 at the end of 2008. And, despite the difficult trading conditions of 2009, the number of sole practitioners has ...
- News
We cannot ignore the arrival of alternative business structures
You may have noticed that lawyers opposed to the prospect of supermarkets, banks and other non-legal firms running legal practices recently protested outside the Royal Courts of Justice (pictured, left). They handed out cans of baked beans labelled ‘Legal services by supermarkets is as ridiculous as lawyers selling beans’.
- News
Collaborative regulation is required for the corporate sector
Regulation in the City of London has hardly been out of the headlines for some months – most notably in relation to financial regulation, but also in relation to the legal sector. One of the SRA’s key tasks over the next few months is to ensure that we have the ...
- News
Training contracts and the SRA's powers
Judging by the phone calls received by the SRA since the start of the recession, there is anxiety among trainees about their contracts and some employers are unsure about their responsibilities. Let me try to shed some light on the matter and explain the extent of our role.
- News
Compliance must not be ignored when tackling the recession
The severity of the recession poses challenges not only to solicitors’ firms but also the SRA. We expect many firms, in their efforts to remain viable, to adopt a much more aggressive outlook, particularly in relation to marketing and the containment of costs. If not managed carefully and ethically, this ...
- News
Equality strategy
It is a pity that you highlighted criticism of the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s equality and diversity strategy by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (see [2009] Gazette, 29 January, 4), but did not mention that 78% of the 133 people and organisations who took part in the consultation agreed with ...
- News
Challenges for the SRA in 2009
There is no disguising the fact that the past year has been a challenging one for the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). There have been a number of issues on our agenda, including embedding best equality and diversity practice in everything we do; preparing for new types of firms spawned by ...
- News
Making regulation credible
You may have read in the press that the Law Society and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have had what might be called a ‘full and frank’ exchange of views. The trigger was the way in which the Law Society had established Lord Hunt’s review into the future of regulation.
- News
Peter Williamson on Lord Ouseley's report
Lord Ouseley's report on BME solicitors has two overriding messages for the regulator.
- News
Showing the way
Our changes to guidance on the transfer system safeguard the public interest while minimising any adverse consequences