Office for the Supervision of Solicitors focuses sanctions and remedies

The Law Societys compliance & supervision committee is determined to ensure that solicitors operate to proper standards and has agreed to a closer targeting of sanctions...The Law Societys compliance & supervision committee is determined to ensure that solicitors operate to proper standards and has agreed to a closer targeting of sanctions and remedies.

Complaints to the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors (OSS) are often generated because a solicitor is not complying with rule 15 of the Solicitors Practice Rules 1990, perhaps by failing to have a complaints procedure or by not sending client care letters.

Compliance with rule 15 is looked at when the OSS visits firms for accounts inspection or other purposes.

This is now going to be formalised and reported on in every case.

In various circumstances, the committee can impose a condition on a solicitors practising certificate.

These conditions will now be more closely focused on the particular problems which the solicitors conduct is causing.

For example, if a solicitor is generating numerous complaints about conveyancing work, a practising certificate condition might require such work to be carried out only under supervision.

In persistent or serious cases, a solicitor might be subject to a condition preventing him or her from dealing with conveyancing.

Imposing a practising certificate condition is a regulatory rather than a disciplinary remedy and the full picture of a solicitors history with the OSS, including findings of inadequate professional service, can be taken into account.