SRA publish ABS impact assessment
In the run up to its application to the Legal Services Board to become a regulator of alternative business structures (ABSs), the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has published a further draft Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) intended to help them to identify the equality and diversity implications of their proposal. This is, they state, “a review process that analyses the potential or actual effects of our policy, procedures, practices, criteria and functions to ascertain whether they have a differential impact on any groups in society.”
The initial EIA was published as part of the October 2010 consultation on the new SRA Handbook. Having considered the feedback from this consultation and further information, the SRA are now publishing an updated EIA on ABSs. They see the EIA as work in progress and will continue to monitor the actual impact of ABSs as they are implemented.
Solicitors and other stakeholders are invited to provide feedback on the EIA, which will be considered by the SRA Board at its meeting on 15 March before finalising its licensing application.
Full details of the EIA can be found on the SRA web site at www.sra.org.uk/sra/equality-diversity/impact-assessments/alternative-business-structures-revised.page