SRA to carry out 'lessons learned' review on diversity data

The SRA has announced that it will be carrying out a "lessons learned exercise" on diversity data. The regulator said earlier this month that only 3,954 of over 10,000 law firms had submitted their workforce diversity data before the deadline of 31 January.

In his chief executive's report for tomorrow's SRA board meeting, Anthony Townsend said: "A lessons learned exercise will be undertaken, which will consider whether improvements can be made to the process to lessen the regulatory burden: these will need to discussed with the Legal Services Board, since the collection exercise is an LSB requirement."

Townsend promised a "proportionate enforcement strategy for non-compliance", which would begin on 1 February.

Meanwhile he said the regulator received twice the number of "high risk event receipts" in the last quarter of 2013 than in the first quarter.

"The board will be aware that the executive are analysing the data in order to understand the reasons behind this increase, the impacts on resources and the further actions that the SRA needs to take," Townsend said.

"Our focus remains on these high risk matters and those needing urgent regulatory action such as practice abandonment and allegations of serious dishonesty continue to be given highest priority."

On PC renewals, Townsend said that as of 8 January 2014, 122,201 practising certificates had been approved, compared to 120,839 at the same point last year.

Townsend said that on 7 January, 7,699 formal notices of intention to revoke practising certificates and foreign lawyer registration were sent. The revocation of practising certificates and registrations will occur on 4 February 2014.

On COLPs and COFAs, he added that the number of firms without approved compliance officers in place was now only ten.

"The majority of these have failed to obtain PII and are now closing," Townsend commented.