SRA Regulatory Compliance for Law Firm Support Staff

Introduction

Everyone employed in a law firm which is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) must comply with regulatory requirements as described in the SRA Standards and Regulations.

The SRA can take disciplinary action against anyone who is in breach of these requirements, and this includes powers to place a ban on the employment of non-solicitors in law firms.

Presented by expert speaker Tracey Calvert, this modular webinar, broken down into bite-sized 30-minute sessions, is an ideal way for support staff to gain a solid understanding of the significance of the SRA and their regulatory requirements.

Agenda

The modules covered are as follows:

Module 1 - Introduction to Working in a Law firm and the SRA

• An introduction to the concept of regulation and why it is necessary to protect clients and the public
• The role of the SRA
• How the SRA regulates individuals and law firms
• SRA regulatory powers

Module 2 - SRA Principles - How They Apply to You

• A description of the SRA Principles - who they apply to and what the SRA requires
• A description of each of the 7 Principles with examples of compliance expectations
• The impact of the SRA Principles on an individual’s non-working life

Module 3 - SRA Code of Conduct for Firms - The Standards You Must Meet

• The purpose of the SRA Code of Conduct - application to support staff
• Conduct requirements that apply to all members of the firm - brief description of client care duties, duties to third parties, equality behaviours, confidentiality requirements, etc
• Code requirements about compliance and business systems
• Code requirements about the firm’s Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP) and Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA)
• Reporting duties when things go wrong

Module 4 - SRA Accounts Rules - Protecting Client Money

• Why the protection of client money is a regulatory concern
• Individual duties to safeguard client money
• The purpose of the SRA Accounts Rules and an explanation of key points
• The role of the COFA
• Reporting mistakes

Module 5 - Money Laundering Risks

• A brief introduction to the money laundering topic
• The SRA’s role in supervising the firm’s management of money laundering risks
• Key compliance duties
• The role of the firm’s MLRO and MLCO
• Red flags and reporting suspicions

Module 6 - Protecting Data and Other Legal Risks when Working in a Law Firm

• The SRA requirements about compliance with the law
• Data protection legislation - brief explanation, role of the ICO, reporting duties
• In brief, other legal risks - e.g. breaches of equality legislation, financial services legislation, bribery legislation, etc

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Thursday 28th August 2025

Alternatively, you can gain access to this webinar and 1,700+ others via the MBL Webinar Subscription. Please email webinarsubscription@mblseminars.com for more details.