New Transfer and Cease to act online forms go live on 24 March

This update has information about new online Transfer and Cease to act online application forms that go live on 24 March. There are two videos to demonstrate the new screens.

It also explains a change to the way we intimate a transfer of agency request as a result of the newly designed online forms.

We have made two short videos showing the newly designed online Transfer and Cease to act application forms.

We plan to upgrade all our online application forms using this new design and will be re-doing all of our applications online in this new format.

During the development process we carried out user experience testing with some volunteers from the profession. The feedback we received was good and helped shape the form.

We hold weekly webinars showcasing the new forms and the layout of these. Feedback has been welcomed and positive.

We will continue to hold these webinars over the next few weeks, so please do join us if you can.

Please look out for more user experience testing and volunteer to help us develop intuitive application forms.

Videos

Please watch our short videos that flow through the newly designed forms. They are in the Applications section of our E-learning and online guidance:

Videos: Online transfer form and cease to act form

With the introduction of the new Internal Transfer and Cease to Act application forms on Monday 24 March we are introducing some changes to the way that transfers of agency requests are intimated.

The current system requires the potential incoming solicitor to send a copy of the transfer form to the first solicitor, when submitting the online transfer application.

Update to process

This form, with the mandate signed by the client must still be sent to the first solicitor, but the reasons provided for the transfer of agency in the online application will now also be copied and sent to the first solicitor in the electronic notification of the transfer application.

The previous system was devised with the Law Society many years ago, before our online systems were introduced, when paper transfer application forms had to be sent to SLAB.

This meant that we received the transfer application form around the same time as the first solicitor received their copy of the form.

However, with the online system now, the first solicitor may not receive their copy of the form until well after we have received the online application, and the decision on the transfer may well have been taken by that stage.

By including the reasons for transfer with the initial notification, this time delay is eliminated, ensuring all relevant information is available at the earliest opportunity.

The paper form still needs to be sent to the first solicitor and must include the mandate signed by the client to allow the release of the case file, should the transfer be granted

Kathleen Nolan, Product Manager, Digital Services Email: nolanka@slab.org.uk

Kingsley Thomas, Head of Criminal Applications Email: thomaski@slab.org.uk