The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) published its annual report on its enforcement activities, ‘Upholding professional standards 2018/19’, this month, showing how it handled more than 9,500 reports and 3,600 investigations during 2018/19.
In total, about 18% of the solicitor population is black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME). Of concerns raised with the SRA, however, 26% related to BAME solicitors. 32% of the cases the SRA decided to investigate involved BAME solicitors. A higher proportion then proceeded to a full disciplinary hearing―35% of these involved BAME solicitors.
BAME solicitors were also more likely to go through a full hearing than have their cases resolved through an agreed outcome.
Anna Bradley, chair of the SRA, said: ‘It is a picture seen across many regulators; some of the potential factors may be wider societal issues and others may be particular to the legal sector.’ The SRA intends to commission independent research into why so many BAME solicitors are being reported.
Law Society president David Greene said: ‘It is extremely concerning that black, Asian and minority ethnic solicitors continue to feature disproportionately in the numbers of complaints received about solicitors, investigations taken up by the SRA and sanctions issued by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
‘Our recent “Race For Inclusion” report found that black, Asian and minority ethnic solicitors face barriers to progression at every stage of their career―including microaggressions, the ethnicity pay gap, and pressure to fit into a certain culture.’
Greene highlighted that the legal sector ‘stands for access to justice, equality for all and the rule of law.
‘We must ensure that within our profession, there is equality at all stages and solicitors’ chances of being complained about or investigated are not influenced by race or ethnicity’.
