An east London firm has incurred its third fine in 16 months after failing to comply with different Solicitors Regulation Authority rules.

A&T Legal Limited, trading as Leaside Law, was ordered to pay £1,500 after failing to submit its workforce diversity data in breach of its regulatory obligations.

The firm was fined £750 in November for the same breach. The SRA said then that the firm had failed to submit data after being given notice and a reasonable time to do so.

The regulator said the Leytonstone-based firm had continued to breach this requirement and so the fine was doubled.

‘Firms are expected to take the necessary steps to run their business or carry out their role in a way that encourages equality of opportunity and respect for diversity,’ said the SRA.

‘Firms are also required to respond promptly to the SRA and provide full and accurate information following a request or requirement. This includes the requirement to monitor, report and publish workforce diversity data in a prescribed way.’

In November 2022, the SRA fined A&T Legal £2,000 after failing to publish mandatory details about costs and its complaints procedure, as well as failing to display the regulator’s digital badge on its website.

These requirements had been in place since 2018 and were designed to ensure consumers have accurate and relevant information about solicitors before they choose one.

At the time of the sanction, the firm was ordered to show within 30 days it had complied with its obligations around transparency, but its website still does not appear to show any price information or to display the SRA digital badge.

In total the firm has now been ordered to pay £800 costs since November 2022.

The Gazette has attempted to contact Leaside Law's sole director for comment. It is understood the firm is not accepting new instructions and existing clients are being contacted to discuss arrangements for their work in progress.