Integrity v profit: mixed motives?

On 19 January 2024, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) issued a statement about the Post Office Horizon IT scandal, which it is investigating. The SRA reminds us that its rules provide that ‘solicitors must work to high professional and ethical standards. This includes upholding the rule of law, acting with integrity, and in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in the profession. As officers of the court, solicitors should never put other interests—such as the outcome for their client—above the law and the proper administration of justice.’

I am proud to belong to a profession which upholds such standards, but translating them into enforceable (and enforced) regulation has been problematic. The main reason is the ambiguity of the solicitor’s role. As an integral component of the justice system, solicitors apply their knowledge and skill in mitigating the inability of the legally unskilled to navigate complex rules and procedures. That is a public responsibility.