The SRA Handbook is being replaced by the SRA Standards and Regulations, which will be in force from November 2019.
To help firms prepare for the new regulations, VinciWorks has released a suite of SRA Standards and Regulations courses. The courses dynamically create a personalised learning experience based on an individual’s role in a law firm. This ensures everyone taking the course will learn what they need to know, and not waste time reviewing areas irrelevant to their practice.
The new focus of the SRA Standards and Regulations is on each legal professional being able to justify their actions in all work that they carry out. For many legal professionals, including partners, managers, solicitors and support staff, this will require a significant change in approach. Legal professionals often only consider their professional obligations when a conflict of interest arises. However, the new SRA Standards and Regulations
The courses will help legal professionals, including support staff, to develop an understanding of the relevant SRA regulations which apply to their specific role in the law firm. The training ensures that all employees of an SRA regulated law firm who have a legal obligation to follow the SRA Standards and Regulations have sufficient knowledge to stay compliant.
SRA training – self-reflection questions
A unique feature is the self-reflection questions at the end of the course. This provides the user with an extra layer of documentation to prove compliance to the SRA. After a user has completed the course, they will have access to a summary of how they intend to uphold each of the different SRA Accounts Rules in their everyday work. This feature demonstrates not just that the user has taken and completed the course, but they have carefully considered how they intend to uphold their professional standards and made a personal commitment to do so.
Who should take the SRA courses?
Each course includes specially designed scenario questions based on recent judgments taken from various hearings involving the SRA at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. Here is a short guide on choosing which course you and your staff should take:
| Course name | Course summary | Who’s it for? |
| SRA Standards and Regulations: Fundamentals | Helps staff develop an understanding of the relevant regulations that apply to their specific role in the law firm | All staff |
| SRA Standards and Regulations: What’s Changed? | A brief overview highlighting the key changes of the SRA’s new regime | All staff |
| SRA Advanced: Accounts Rules | Apply the SRA Accounts Rules to real-life scenarios | Accounts staff |
| SRA Advanced: Compliance at Your Firm | Ensure compliance officers, managers and partners understand their responsibilities set out by the SRA | Compliance Officers, Managers and Partners |
| SRA Advanced: Managing Clients and Matters | Covers the checks and processes you should carry out when managing clients and matters if you work in an SRA regulated firm | All staff |
VinciWorks SRA training – outcomes
- Understand what is included in the SRA Standards and Regulations
- Learn which specific SRA Standards and Regulations are relevant to your role in a law firm
- Apply the SRA Standards and Regulations to real-life scenarios
- Awareness of the differences between previous handbooks and the new Standards and Regulations
- Have an appreciation of using one’s own
judgement in interpreting the SRA Standards and Regulations
