Solicitors Regulation Authority case handlers have worked on up to 40 complaints at a time as backlogs built up over the past year, according to newly released papers. 

The average workload was revealed as part of a commitment to the Legal Services Board meeting, to reduce waiting times and resolve complaints more quickly.

The solicitors' regulator has come under scrutiny in the past two years for taking so long to bring some cases before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. In one recent case, the tribunal threw out a prosecution after describing the six-year gap between first contact with the respondent and a hearing as an ‘inordinate delay’.

In papers presented to the LSB meeting last week, the SRA said that, as of July this year, 162 of its ongoing cases were at least two years old.

File reviews had shown that investigations could be improved by clearer analysis, reasoning and focus, it reported. Meanwhile the case management system was not being used to its full potential and there could be ‘inadequate communication’ with parties.

The SRA stated its commitment to reducing caseloads for investigation officers from a maximum of 40 to 25 by next month.

By June 2024, the regulator pledged to halve the number of cases taking longer than two years. It also intends to complete 80% of initial assessments within two months and close 70% of investigations within 10 months of assessment.

The number of full-time staff in the investigation and enforcement team is increasing from 195 a year ago to 236 by next month.

The SRA will also introduce ‘simplified, documented processes’ to remove inefficiency and unnecessary delays.

In a letter to the LSB, SRA general counsel Juliet Oliver described the pipeline of long-term cases as ‘lumpy’ but said there had been progress in reducing delays. A new case management system was due to kick off this summer, as well as new protocols for staff dealing with complex cases.

She added: ‘This work - looking as it does across internal processes, ways of working, communication, and skills development - is a culture change programme that is intended to deliver long term and sustainable change; supporting our staff to achieve a greater standard of customer service, improved case analysis and more effective and timely case progression.’

 

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