Draft SB EIA
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ANNEX 4 Consultation Response CONTENTS Page No INTRODUCTION 3-4 OUTCOME OF THE CONSULTATION 4-26 -Summary of Responses by Question 4-5 -Summary of Responses by Theme 5-20 -Standard of Proof 5-10 -The issue of a Lay Majority 11-12 -Fitness to Practise 12-13 -Propensity 13-14 -Vulnerable Witnesses 14-15 -Equality and Diversity Implications 15-19 -Sufficiency of Consultation 19-20 -Other Points 20-26 -Proposed amendments to Rule 25 in respect of Agreed Outcomes 20-21 -Proposed amendments to other draft rules 21-26 NEXT STEPS 26 ANNEXES: Annex 1: Analysis of the responses received Annex 2: Consultation Responses Annex 3: Post Consultation Rules Annex 4: Equality Impact Assessment 2 Introduction 1. The Tribunal is constituted as a statutory tribunal under Section 46 of the Solicitors Act 1974. The Tribunal adjudicates upon alleged breaches of rules or the Solicitors Code of Conduct, which are designed to protect the public and maintain public confidence in the legal profession, by defining standards for honesty, probity, trustworthiness, independence and integrity. The Tribunal also adjudicates upon the alleged misconduct of recognised bodies, registered foreign lawyers and persons employed by solicitors. It also hears applications for restoration to the Solicitors’ Roll. 2. Solicitor Members of the Tribunal are wholly independent of the Council of the Law Society and have no connection with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (“the SRA”), which instigates over 90% of the cases currently dealt with by the Tribunal. 3. Section 46 of the Solicitors Act 1974 enables the Tribunal to make rules about its procedures. The Tribunal already has rules in place (the Solicitors (Disciplinary Proceedings) Rules 2007 (2007 No.3588)) (“2007 Rules”) which are used in relation to the Tribunal’s disciplinary jurisdiction. The Tribunal considers that it needs to update these rules. 4. The Tribunal is also empowered to deal with appeals of various kinds. The Tribunal’s rules in respect of its appellate jurisdiction are the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (Appeals and Amendment) Rules 2011 (2011 No.2346) (“Appeal Rules”). As was the case at the time of the consultation, there are no current proposals to change the Appeal Rules. 5. Between 16 July 2018 and 8 October 2018 the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (“the Tribunal”) consulted on the making of procedural rules in relation to applications to the Tribunal. The Tribunal published its consultation paper on its website and sent a link to the consultation to the list of consultees at Appendix C of that document and also to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Consultees were invited to respond to the following questions: (a) Do you consider, in principle, that the Tribunal should change its rules to allow for the civil standard to be applied to cases which it hears (see draft rule 5)? (b) Do you consider in principle that the Tribunal should change its rules to make provision about agreed outcome proposals (see draft rule 25)? 3 (c) Do you consider that the other provisions in the draft rules are fit for purpose? (d) If the answer to question (c) is no, please explain why. (e) Do you have any detailed comments on the drafting of the proposed rules? (f) Do you consider that any of the draft rules could result in any adverse impacts for any of those with protected characteristics under the Equality Act? 6. This document summarises the responses received, the Tribunal’s decisions and the proposed next steps. Outcome of the Consultation 7. Twenty eight external responses were received. A list of all external respondents is at Annex 2 together with a copy of the responses received. 8. Six responses were also received from Members of the Tribunal. Apart from some very specific drafting points the points contained in the Members’ responses were raised in the external responses received. Summary of Responses- By Question 9. Not all of the external respondents answered all questions. In addition a number of consultees responded to certain questions indicating that they had no comment. Question A – 28 responses Question B – 18 responses Question C – 15 responses Question D – 9 responses Question E – 18 responses Question F – 21 responses 10. Set out below is a Summary of Responses by the themes that arose from the responses. Additionally, at Annex 1 there is a summary of the responses provided. 4 11. The responses received that related to specific drafting points have been considered and addressed as part of the analysis of the consultation responses. Lack of specific acknowledgement of such comments in this document should not be taken to mean that those suggestions have not been considered. Summary of Responses – Themes arising from the consultation 12. The Standard of Proof The Responses 12.1 The Tribunal received twenty eight responses in respect of whether or not the Tribunal should change its rules to allow for the civil standard of proof. The responses received covered a range of issues and are set out in more detail in Annex 1 and are appended in full at Annex 2. The key issues raised were public interest, protection and confidence and the impact on individual solicitors facing proceedings before the Tribunal. 12.2 The consensus amongst those who support the retention of the criminal standard of proof is that it provides sufficient safeguards to protect the public and maintain the reputation of the profession. Further it was argued that the criminal standard ensures that any allegations against an individual solicitor are thoroughly investigated prior to proceedings being instigated and that the evidence is tested before the Tribunal. Concern was raised that the civil standard of proof was inappropriate given the seriousness of professional misconduct proceedings and the impact on a solicitor’s career if allegations, particularly those involving dishonesty, are found proved. 12.3 Those who supported a change from the criminal to the civil standard raised public perception, the fact that other regulatory bodies applied the civil standard and the lack of justification for the retention of the higher standard. They argued that retention of the criminal standard could be viewed as the profession protecting its members. Comment 12.4 Under Rule 10 of the SRA Disciplinary Procedure Rules 2011, in deciding whether or not to instigate proceedings before the Tribunal, the SRA applies an evidential test. This test considers whether there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect that the application will be upheld by the Tribunal, whether the Tribunal is 5 likely to revoke a firm's authorisation or to impose a penalty that the SRA are unable to; and whether it is in the public interest to make the application. 12.5 The evaluation under the first limb of the evidential test will necessarily have to take into account the standard of proof applied by the Tribunal at the relevant time. The Tribunal does not anticipate that any change to its standard of proof would alter the investigation and evidence gathering that will be necessary before this test can be properly applied. Irrespective of the standard of proof that the Tribunal applies the Tribunal expects the parties to place cogent evidence before it. Whilst the SRA noted in its response that the use of the criminal standard of proof was costly the Tribunal does not consider that the costs of bringing proceedings will be affected by the standard of proof it applies because of the need for clear and cogent evidence. 12.6 The Tribunal will continue to scrutinise the evidence before it with as much care as ever in reaching its findings. It is clearly established that the more serious the allegation the more cogent the evidence needs to be to prove the allegation (Re B (Children) [2008] UKHL 35). This applies whichever standard of proof is applied. Robust decision making processes and careful, thorough evaluation of the evidence are already embedded as part of the Tribunal’s decision making processes and are an important safeguard. 12.7 Irrespective of the standard of proof the Tribunal will continue to operate with the objective of ensuring that the standards and reputation of the solicitors’ profession must be maintained. Bolton v The Law Society [1994] 1 WLR 512 sets out the fundamental principle and purposes of the imposition of sanctions by the Tribunal and states: “…the most fundamental of all: to maintain the reputation of the solicitors' profession as one in which every member, of whatever standing, may be trusted to the ends of the earth … a member of the public … is ordinarily entitled to expect that the solicitor will be a person whose trustworthiness is not, and never has been, seriously in question. Otherwise, the whole profession, and the public as a whole, is injured. A profession's most valuable asset is its collective reputation and the confidence which that inspires.” (per Bingham, then Master of the Rolls) 12.8 The Tribunal’s overriding objective is to ensure that all cases brought before it are dealt with justly and in accordance with the Tribunal’s duty to protect the public from harm. The Tribunal must ensure public confidence in the reputation of providers of legal services is maintained. 6 12.9 There is no empirical evidence to assist the Tribunal in reaching its conclusions as to which standard of proof it should apply. A number of the responses referred to suggested figures for a prosecution “success rate”. These figures had not been calculated by the Tribunal and may or may not be accurate. Reference to the type of allegation in the Tribunal’s Annual Report is categorised per allegation and not per case so there will be significantly more allegations than cases and the percentages quoted in the Annual Report need to be viewed in this context.