In the second of our series of news alerts focused on key regulatory trends of which firms and solicitors need to be aware in 2022, our regulatory and professional discipline partner, Andrew Pavlovic, considers the SRA’s treatment of junior solicitors and how their shift may now be focussing on cultural issues at law firms.
There has been growing disquiet in the legal profession about the SRA’s treatment of junior solicitors who commit acts of dishonesty in circumstances where they are under considerable workplace pressure and/or are suffering from mental ill-health. However, the position established by case law remains that, to preserve the standing of the profession, solicitors found to have acted dishonestly will be struck off the roll of solicitors unless there are exceptional circumstances as to why this should not be the case.