Consultations
Law Society SRA Handbook consultation
Proposed changes to the Solicitors Regulation Authority's (SRA) Handbook for solicitor and firm regulation, if accepted, will leave clients with less protection and could result in a two-tier solicitor profession. The consultation, Looking to the Future, closes on 21 September. Over the summer, we will engage with members through events, briefings and discussions with local law societies.
Read our briefing on the consultation
The Sentencing Council published a consultation which concerns revised guidelines for 27 summary offences. These vary from fairly common offences such as driving whilst disqualified, obstructing/resisting a PC in the execution of his duty and taking a motor vehicle without consent to some more obscure offences such as sexual activity in a lavatory. This is part of a programme to ensure all guidelines are consistent and reflect the more sophisticated approach adopted by the Council since it replaced the SGC.
The consultation closes on 11th August and you can read it by clicking here.- Legal Apprenticeships - let us know what you think
With apprenticeships high on the employment agenda we would like to know what you think. The Law Society is in favour of alternative routes into the profession so long as they meet the same high standards as the current route. We are very keen to find out more about the level of interest in legal apprenticeships among our members, and how the Law Society could be helping members. To share your views or provide feedback, please contact us at apprenticeships@lawsociety.org.uk. In England, the three new Trailblazers for law apprenticeships will now replace the earlier legal apprenticeships, and all apprenticeship funding will be directed towards Trailblazers 2017. Following consultation, the government announced in November that all employers with pay bills in excess of £3 million will be required to pay an apprenticeship levy of 0.5% of their pay bill. This is due to come into effect in April 2017.