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Finers partner slams SRA's new rules on defending solicitors

"We’ve identified there’s a risk with our panel of solicitors conducting disciplinary prosecutions that confidential information could be disclosed to them that could place them in a position of conflict if they subsequently accept instructions to act for a respondent." Let's think this through: presumably the SRA will be duty bound to seek to injunct any firm which has previously acted in a prosecution capacity but then seeks to defend a solicitor, because of the risk of a "position of conflict"? No, I thought not: because Ms Johnson is talking nonsense. "...The tendering process will be open to all and there’s no guarantee the firms on the current panel will secure a position on the next one, or indeed that they’ll all apply for such a position." So all these former panel firms will be unable to act to defend solicitors, because of the risk of a conflict of interest (unless the SRA gives informed consent)? No, I thought not. This is misguided. Ms Johnson's self-serving 16-line attempt at justification rings hollow. Bad call, SRA.

2-Apr-2012

8:32 pm