Following our objections to the proposed quality assurance
scheme for advocates, we welcome the SRA's deferral of the scheme
to allow for more research on its impact. Solicitors who hold
higher rights in crime or crime/civil will have an opportunity to
give feedback on the scheme via an online survey.
Read our latest consultation response on the scheme
The research
Following recent feedback on aspects of the Quality Assurance
Scheme for Advocates (QASA), the SRA is undertaking a survey to
gather information about the way in which solicitors exercise their
higher rights.
The questionnaire and reference number used to access an online
survey is being posted out to all solicitors who hold higher rights
in crime or crime/civil during the week commencing 7 November and
will be available to complete online at www.srasurvey.co.uk.
As key stakeholders, we have given our time and expertise to
work with the SRA on the design and content of the questionnaire.
This is your opportunity to ensure that the SRA has as
comprehensive a data set as possible to ensure that the final shape
and design of the scheme appropriately takes into account the
nature of solicitor advocates' practice. We urge you to complete
the questionnaire, it should take no more than 15 minutes. The
closing date for responses is 21 November.
The SRA has targeted the questionnaire solely at solicitor
advocates as it needs to know more about how the scheme might
affect the structure of their practice. The issues for higher
rights advocates are different from those for solicitors practising
their advocacy in the magistrates courts (where it is proposed that
the scheme will operate in a different way) and for this reason the
questionnaire will not be distributed to solicitors who are likely
to be level one advocates.