Ban on referral fees for personal injury cases will work but the
measures adopted need to be straightforward, proportionate and
effective, says Law Society.
Commenting on the Solicitors Regulation Authority's (SRA)
discussion paper on the Government's ban on referral fees in
personal injury cases, which comes into force in April 2013, as
part of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act
2012 (LASPO), President of the Law Society, John Wotton said:
'We support a ban on referral fees in personal injury cases and
had extensive dialogue with the Ministry of Justice on the drafting
of the statutory provisions. We are ready to work with the SRA and
other interested bodies in making the ban on referral fees for
personal injury cases work - the measures adopted need to be
straightforward, proportionate and effective. Care needs to be
taken in implementation to ensure that the Parliament's intentions
are achieved without unintended consequences. For instance, the ban
should not prevent firms' legitimate marketing activity.'
Ends
Contact: Catherine Reed, Law Society Press Office, +44 (0)20
7320 5902