LSRA aiming to streamline complaints process
The body that regulates legal services provided by solicitors and barristers has published its strategic plan for the next three years.
The Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) says that the vision set out in the 2025-2028 strategic plan is “an Ireland where legal services are trusted and accessible to all”.
The authority says that it continues to focus on “modern, proportionate, and effective” approaches to regulation that benefit both legal practitioners and the public.
‘Right-touch oversight’
LSRA chair Tom Boland said that the authority would be focusing on three areas to achieve its objectives:
- Maintaining excellent standards in how legal services are delivered,
- Empowering consumers to understand and access those services, and
- Ensuring that the authority’s regulatory model continued to protect the public interest through “right-touch oversight”.
“This plan builds on ten years of progress and reflects the views of our staff, the legal profession, and the public, all of whom contributed to shaping our next chapter,” he stated.
On standards, the plan commits the LSRA to continuing its work on reform of education and training, and delivering a framework for the establishment of a the statutory Legal Practitioners Education and Training Committee.
Barriers
Following on from its Breaking Down Barriers report, the authority says that it will continue to take measures to address economic and other barriers facing many aspiring and early career solicitors and barristers, with a view to promoting a strong and diverse profession.
The plan also says that the LSRA will use insights from complaints data to identify areas where professional standards need to be improved.
The regulator adds that it will continue to “monitor and enhance” competition in the legal professions, and “revisit” the introduction of multi-disciplinary practices – partnerships set up to provide legal and other services.
Complaints timelines
The strategy sets out plans to work with professional bodies to improve the information available to consumers on legal services, as well as enhance consumers’ understanding of the LSRA’s role.
The LSRA says that it intends to “streamline and continue to improve accessibility, fairness, and timeliness” in its complaints system – including through seeking statutory changes where required.
The strategy also aims to “enhance the effectiveness” of its complaints process at all stages, with a view to reducing timelines and improving processes for handling complaints.