The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has asked for a 34% increase in its annual budget after being told to move out of its current premises next year.

An emergency meeting of the Legal Services Board this week heard that the SDT needed a revised operating budget of almost £4.3m, after its landlord withdrew the offer of a new 10-year lease for its current premises in Farringdon Street, London. The SDT and its landlord have agreed a new lease to allow for a short-term stay but it is likely the organisation will move by next September.

The tribunal was forced to apply for approval of its new budget, which consists of £3.1m in known costs and £1.1m of estimated costs related to the move. The costs are met by contributions from solicitors’ practising certificate fees. The LSB said it is minded to approve the application and is likely to rubber-stamp it at its next meeting later this month.

The SDT has yet to make a decision on its future venue and will consider all options, including keeping separate administrative offices and hiring hearing venues, or having one permanent courtroom and hiring additional venues as required. Efficiency savings from greater use of remote hearings – relied upon during the lockdown – will also be examined.

The extra £1.1m required consists of £600,000 in potential fit-out costs, rent of £175,890 covering the final six months of 2023, £36,000 in removal costs, £28,000 in agent’s fees and increases in service charge and business rates.

In a letter to the LSB, tribunal chair Alison Kellett said that the new agreement with the Gate House landlord means that secure alternative accommodation will be needed from September next year. It is likely that the tribunal will need to take occupation of the alternative premises by June to enable the fit-out and to get the building ready to hear cases.

Kellett said the administrative team has already had conversations with its property agent regarding possible alternative offices in London. It has contacted several other regulators and hearing bodies to explore whether they would have capacity to hire courtrooms to the SDT on an ad hoc basis.

She added: ‘Before being able to make any such decisions the tribunal will consider its listing strategy and review its actual physical court utilisation between now and Christmas.

‘We need to strike the right balance between being able to list hearings in a timely manner (which is in the interests of the parties and supports fairer outcomes and public protection) and ensuring that we do not have more physical courtrooms than are required. We remain committed to reducing the cost per court in both the medium- and long-term.’

 

This article is now closed for comment.

Topics