News: Contract Law
Solicitor regulation body 'lacks adequate leadership'
14 August 2008
Inadequate leadership and management "at all levels" have been singled out as hindrances to the legal profession's handling of equality and diversity.
A new report into the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) concludes that it discriminates against ethnic minority lawyers and only "pays lip service" to equality.
The Press Association reports that the document, compiled by the former head of the Commission for Racial Equality, follows repeated complaints from black and Asian solicitors about unfair treatment from the SRA.
"Without the missing leadership emphasis, management at all levels will continue to regard the commitment to equality and diversity as superficial, tokenistic and unimportant," states the report.
"The SRA at present lacks the drive and the equality and diversity competence within its managerial and leadership spheres to make the changes happen," it continues.
According to the news provider, the document goes on to analyse the "disproportionate" number of disciplinary tribunals to which ethnic minority solicitors are regularly referred.
Last year, the SRA denied discrimination after MP Keith Vaz asked the justice secretary to examine its practices.
The regulatory body was created in 2006 and handles complaints against solicitors in England and Wales.
