We are offering a free SRA equality and diversity health check for solicitors and ABSs.
The SRA has begun checking the equality and diversity credentials of regulated firms in England and Wales, starting with random visits to 100 practices (representing roughly 1% of the profession).
The regulator will assess how firms are dealing with their equality and diversity obligations – now one of the ten Principles at the heart of the SRA Code of Conduct 2011 (see also Chapter 2 of the Code) – and learning how the SRA can best support firms.
The focus will be on:
- effective equality and diversity systems, procedures and data collection
- raising awareness of equality and diversity issues
- links with other key concerns of the SRA, such as access to legal services for vulnerable people (including, for example, those who first language is not English)
Firms should already have equality and diversity systems in place, and should take the opportunity (as part of their wider compliance planning for the new COLP and COFA regime) to review and update their systems if necessary.
The SRA will require diversity data to be collected and published by firms annually, starting with the 2012 diversity questionnaire. Firm may face some interesting data protection issues as a result. Please click this link for further details.
Contact us for a free SRA equality and diversity health check.
