SRA seeks views on new resources for in-house solicitors

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is seeking views on a collection of new resources, developed to support solicitors working in-house in England and Wales.

The documents have been published ahead of the regulator’s second annual in-house solicitors conference, which is being staged this week (14 March) and will bring together more than 250 in-house practitioners.

The resources include a new document aimed specifically at employers, which outlines a solicitor’s professional obligations and the benefits of employing a regulated professional. The resource is also designed “to help solicitors establish a mutual understanding of what this means they can - and cannot - do for their employer”, said the SRA.

Other newly published guidance covers areas such as identifying the client when working in-house, handling internal investigations, and reporting wrong-doing by an employer.

Alongside the guidance, the regulator has published a number of case studies illustrating how it can be put into action.

Developed in conjunction with the SRA’s virtual in-house solicitor reference group, the materials build on issues which arose from its 2023 thematic review in working in-house and “wider feedback” from in-house solicitors over the past 12 months.

Juliet Oliver, General Counsel at the Solicitors Regulation Authority said: “As well as ongoing feedback from the those working in the sector, recent high-profile cases such as the Post Office case have really shone a light on the unique challenges and issues which in-house solicitors can encounter.

“We have been working closely with the in-house community over the past year to consider what support we can offer to address some of these challenges. We believe these resources will provide valuable support and guidance to in-house solicitors across a range of important issues. But to make sure this is the case, we want to take this opportunity to invite those working in the sector to input."

Final copies of the new in-house resources will be published later in 2024.