Dozens of people in the legal sector have contacted the Solicitors Regulation Authority to report concerns about colleagues under new legal protections for whistleblowers.
The SRA was designated as a prescribed person in June, protecting anyone who works for or with a solicitor or a firm which makes a report to the regulator when they believe they are acting in the public interest. The change ensured that anyone making the report will be protected from the risk of retaliatory action from their employer.
The SRA has opened a confidential red alert line and since receiving the new designation, this service has received 85 calls, of which 37 met the criteria and have resulted in further enquiries or investigations.
The regulator had aimed to allow a safe space, in particular for law firm employees to report alleged wrongdoing. The numbers so far suggest there was a demand from potential whistleblowers.
Meanwhile, the SRA also revealed this week almost two-thirds (64%) of its investigations opened in 2025/26 have related to lack of integrity and ethics, dishonesty, non-inclusive behaviour or criminal conduct, compared with 56% in 2024/25. The rise in ethics-related work comes at a time when the SRA is considering new rules for continuing competence which include a proposal that all solicitors must take part once a year in discussions to ‘work through ethical dilemmas and scenarios’ with colleagues.
Chief executive Sarah Rapson told the Gazette: ‘The overwhelming majority of solicitors uphold high professional standards every single day. The trust this creates is at the heart of why the England and Wales legal sector is a global leader. Ethics is more than just making sure you are not in breach of the SRA’s rules - it is about doing the right thing when the circumstances are complex, when under pressure and even if no-one is looking.’
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