SRA Update
Debate on referral fee ban
SRA Update Issue 25 – June 2012
We've started the debate on implementing the Government's proposed ban on referral fees in personal injury cases, which is due to come into effect in April next year.
The issues are not clear cut and our discussion paper lays out what we think are the key points to clarify over the coming months before the formal policy is drawn up by the end of the year.
The ban will be introduced as part of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO). The aim of the paper is to discuss effective implementation of the provisions on referral fees, explain our analysis of the issues and the potential effect on the sector, and outline our thinking on how the ban should be enforced.
We're seeking your views on the discussion paper, as well as the views of our partners, such as the Legal Services Board and the Law Society.
Once we have considered the responses to this paper, we will set out our policy position in a formal consultation document to attract further views on how to implement the ban, to be held in the autumn. Any changes made to the regulatory framework will come into effect in April 2013.
You can find the discussion paper on our website at www.sra.org.uk/referralban. Responses to the paper should be submitted to us by 31 July.