PII and negligence—law firms

This subtopic is intended for law firms regulated by the SRA, including sole practices. It reflects the requirements in the SRA Standards and Regulations relating to professional indemnity insurance (PII) and negligence. This subtopic is not intended for in-house lawyers or freelance solicitors.

Requirement to have PII

Law firms regulated by the SRA must take out and maintain qualifying PII with a participating insurer that provides adequate cover in respect of current or past practice, taking into account any alternative arrangements the firm or its clients make. They must also ensure that their PII provides adequate and appropriate cover in respect of services the firm provides

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Latest Practice Compliance News

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The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has welcomed the Data (Use and Access) Bill (DUA Bill) receiving Royal Assent on 19 June 2025 and becoming law as the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA). DSIT notes that key measures include enabling real-time sharing of healthcare data across NHS services, saving 140,000 hours of admin annually and improving patient care, and the simplification of digital identity verification through certified tools, aiding tasks like renting or job application. The DUAA also introduces legislation to support investigations into child deaths linked to social media by preserving relevant data. Additionally, DSIT underlines that as mandated by the DUAA, a new Information Commission will replace the ICO, with a recruitment drive underway for its board to ensure diverse expertise.

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Data (Use and Access) Bill receives Royal Assent on 19 June 2025

The Data (Use and Access) Bill (DUA) received Royal Assent and became an Act of Parliament on Thursday 19 June 2025. This followed its parliamentary review being finalised on 11 June 2025 and marked the culmination of nearly eight months of parliamentary procedure. Under section 139 of the DUA, most provisions will come into force as and when the Secretary of State appoints regulations. However, a limited number of provisions came into force upon Royal Assent. This included section 78, which relates to reasonable and proportionate searches for data subject access requests. It also included sections 126–128 on the retention of biometric data, and schedule 16 on the grant of energy smart meter communication licences.

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