Compliance with the Code of Practice

We have a statutory responsibility to monitor compliance with the Code of Practice. We will do this in various ways including quality assurance and peer review.

We can take a number of possible steps depending on the severity of a firm's non-compliance. In most situations, we will issue a warning letter and get an assurance from the Compliance Partner that remedial action has been or will be taken.

In other situations we may carry out a compliance audit to assess the scope of the problem. Only in the most extreme cases, or where non-compliance is deliberate and/or you or your firm does not appear to be inclined to remedy it, will we consider de-registration.

We also have the power to suspend a firm or solicitor from providing children’s legal assistance and/or withhold legal aid payments.