Solicitors Regulation Authority offers new consumer advice

The Solicitors Regulation Authority is stepping up its game in relation to the advice it is giving consumers of legal services.
Over the past year the regulator has taken a number of initiatives designed to help clients understand the legal minefield, following a survey carried out which revealed the public has little knowledge of their rights when consulting a lawyer.
The measures feature a host of information on a special consumer section of the SRA’s website.
They include videos describing different scenarios, including how to spot a bogus solicitor and when to contact the Legal Ombudsman and a downloadable leaflet entitled ‘What to expect when you use a solicitor’.
Also frequently refreshed alerts to provide information on bogus firms, high profile disciplinary actions such as closures and prosecution and a legal jargon-buster which aims to help consumers understand the legal process.
Mehrunnisa Lalani, SRA director, said: “There has been a lot of mystique over the years about what consumers should expect from legal services. We want to change this and are using collaborative approaches with organisations such as the third sector to get information across to consumers and get feedback on their experiences.”