Institutional racism – Solicitors Regulatory Authority in firing line
An independent report by the former head of the Commission for Racial Equality Lord Ouseley has suggested that the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has laid itself open to the charge of being institutionally racist. Details of the report can be found in this article from The Lawyer which stated: "The report found that the regulatory body has been discriminating against black and minority ethnic (BME) lawyers and subjecting them to potentially damaging investigations. According to the report, firms whose lawyers …
An independent report by the former head of the Commission for Racial Equality Lord Ouseley has suggested that the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has laid itself open to the charge of being institutionally racist. Details of the report can be found in this article from The Lawyer which stated:
"The report found that the regulatory body has been discriminating against black and minority ethnic (BME) lawyers and subjecting them to potentially damaging investigations. According to the report, firms whose lawyers are predominantly African and Caribbean are six times more likely to be closed down than those whose lawyers are mainly white. Firms of predominantly Asian lawyers are three times more likely to be closed down."
According to the Lawyer the report was commissioned by Society of Black Lawyers, the Society of Asian Lawyers, the Association of Muslim Lawyers and the Black Solicitors Network following pressure from justice minister Bridgette Prentice and the Home Affairs select committee chair Keith Vaz.
Have you had dealings with the SRA? If so what were your experiences?
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August 21, 2008
oh dear.
August 22, 2008
That is just plane disgusting.
It makes one wonder just how far such discrimination stretches. If it can even find a place in the SRA. I never thought that a part of the SRA’s work alongside preserving the repute of the profession includes a colour coded selection process.
The SRA should be embarressed by this!
Now I know what the ethnic background section on applications to the SRA is really for.
August 22, 2008
i concur
August 22, 2008
well that seems pretty poor but then where I work – a mid sized commercial firm there are hardly any (I cannot actually think of any) black fee earners; there are some asians but it is predominantly white. there may be a better balance across the largest firms but one suspects not for most firms of any size…
is there a connection here? everyone seems to bang on at how the profession has progressed on this front…
August 26, 2008
It is quite a dissappointing reality but it seems like there is a greater struggle for ethnic lawyers to progress. As a recent graduate it make me wonder whether there are easier career pursuits.
I don’t believe that the profession has progressed on this front, everyone just more hush hush about it.