The board of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) last week decided to push ahead with plans to make public regulatory sanctions it imposes on solicitors.


It follows a consultation that showed support for the principle, with reasons for interventions into practices, reprimands and practising certificate conditions the main types of action that respondents thought should be publicised.



Currently, sanctions levied by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal are the only ones made public.



In the year to April 2007, there were 4,749 decisions in regulation matters, of which 1,865 were practising certificate conditions.



Four in five of respondents also favoured the SRA's proposal that it be allowed to settle regulatory investigations. These will not be the equivalent of settling litigation; agreements would be on terms set by the SRA and include the action the solicitor has taken or is to take as a result. The terms would be published.



This course might be taken in circumstances such as a systems failure within a firm - rather than a culpable individual failure - or a failure of supervision or systems contributing to misconduct by an individual who is no longer with the firm.



Arguing that publication of decisions will not be appropriate in all cases, Law Society chief executive Des Hudson said it is essential that there should be a consistent approach. SRA board chairman Peter Williamson said the aim was to inform consumers but be fair to solicitors as well.