SRA expands leadership with new roles

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is embarking on a significant expansion of its executive leadership team, announcing the creation of four new key posts aimed at enhancing its capacity to meet broader challenges in the legal sector. The new roles will focus on supervision, risk and data, General Counsel, and external affairs. This initiative aligns with the SRA’s strategic priorities for 2026, which emphasise operational excellence as a core area needing improvement.

As part of its efforts to enhance decision-making timelines and improve caseload management, the SRA aims to adopt a proactive approach to risk identification. The introduction of these new roles is expected to facilitate a step change in the organisation's capabilities, thereby fostering a culture of collaboration and empowering the workforce. Sarah Rapson, Chief Executive of the SRA, articulated the necessity for transformation, stating "I have been clear that the organisation must change if we are to become the regulator that the public and the sector deserves." She highlighted the need for a simplified leadership structure to achieve the transformation required for the SRA to be both trusted and effective.

Among the changes announced is the permanent appointment of Jonathan Peddie as Executive Director – Investigations, Enforcement and Litigation. Peddie, who joined the SRA in an interim capacity in September 2025, brings significant experience in legal practice and regulation. Adding to this, he remarked "Solicitors perform a vital but sometimes overlooked public service, one that is essential to the health of our society and economy." In his new role, Peddie will lead a comprehensive review of the casework process, aiming to enhance quality assurance and develop innovative regulatory tools.

The changes are a product of an extensive stakeholder listening exercise and a thorough review of the SRA's leadership model. With new appointments including Deb Jones as Executive Director – Transformation, the SRA is streamlining its management structure to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

This strategic move forward allows the SRA to strengthen its regulatory framework and facilitate better collaboration and risk identification. As the authority seeks to become a modern regulator, its focus on operational excellence will enable it to rebuild trust and enhance its effectiveness within the legal sector.