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UK lawyers do not have to give regulator client communications, court rules
The ruling could curb the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s misconduct probes, and the agency said it will seek to appeal.
- On Monday, London's High Court ruled that English legal regulators cannot demand lawyer-client communications protected by legal professional privilege when investigating misconduct allegations, significantly limiting the Solicitors Regulation Authority's investigatory reach.
- Carter-Ruck and client Mohamed Amersi brought the legal challenge after the SRA opened an investigation in 2023 and requested confidential client files from the firm, prompting the High Court case that led to Monday's judgment.
- Investigations lead Jonathan Peddie said the SRA plans to appeal, warning that "The SRA simply cannot do its job if the inner workings of a law firm are a black box" without access to privileged materials.
- Deputy director Helen Taylor of campaign group Spotlight on Corruption warned the decision leaves the SRA as "little more than a paper tiger," severely hampering the regulator's investigative effectiveness against law firms.
- This ruling marks the latest defeat for the SRA in tackling allegedly improper legal threats known as SLAPP, following losses including misconduct proceedings linked to OneCoin founder Ruja Ignatova that were thrown out in December.
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UK lawyers do not have to give regulator client communications, court rules
English legal regulators cannot demand lawyer-client communications when investigating misconduct allegations, London's High Court ruled on Monday after a challenge by the well-known law firm Carter-Ruck and its political donor client.
·London, United Kingdom
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