Weekly highlights

SRA launches consultation on 2025/26 business plan

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has launched a consultation on its 2025/26 Business Plan, proposing a £16.3m budget increase to £86.5m. The plan outlines changes to regulatory fees, with individual practising certificate fees rising from £164 to £190, while compensation fund contributions will decrease from £90 to £70. The changes respond to a 40% increase in monthly investigations, growing complexity in cases, and emerging risks in the high-volume consumer claims market. The SRA reports concluding 18% more cases than the previous year despite increased workload. The consultation runs from 8 May to 19 June 2025.

LSB launches consultation on strengthening lawyers' ethical standards regulation

The Legal Services Board (LSB) has launched a consultation on new regulatory measures to strengthen ethical standards in the legal sector. The proposals, published on 6 March 2025, aim to reform how lawyers' ethics are taught, overseen and supported in workplaces. The consultation addresses legal education, training and codes of conduct, responding to evidence of ethical failures including court misleading and misuse of Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation. The consultation closes on 29 May 2025 and forms part of the LSB's broader initiative to enhance professional ethics in legal services.

SRA issues guidance to support in-house solicitors

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has released a set of guidance materials, primarily aimed at the 34,500+ in-house solicitors across England and Wales but also including guidance on internal investigations applicable to all firms and solicitors, not just those working in-house. The guidance, developed following stakeholder feedback and a 2023 thematic review, addresses unique challenges faced by in-house legal professionals. It covers areas such as client identification, reporting wrongdoing, legal professional privilege, ethical obligations, and risk management. Notably, it includes advice for non-solicitor employers to enhance understanding of solicitors' professional obligations. The SRA has incorporated feedback from consultations on drafts of the guidance, resulting in more practical examples, expanded information on third-party work and conflicts of interest, and clearer guidance on internal investigations. The SRA aims to support in-house solicitors in navigating their roles and highlighting their value in promoting ethical behaviour within organisations.

NHS Employers updates guidance on use of settlement agreements and confidentiality clauses

NHS Employers has updated its guidance for employers on the use of settlement agreements and confidentiality clauses when resolving a workplace dispute or ending an employment contract. The guidance includes the latest information on legislative requirements, good practice examples on the freedom to speak up, guidance on Mutually Agreed Resignation Schemes, information on board members and the NHS England Fit and Proper Person Test Framework, and links to further resources.