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30 January 2026 / Victoria Morrison-Hughes
Issue: 8147 / Categories: Opinion , Profession , Regulatory , Legal services , Fees , Costs
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Solicitors Act: Time for reform

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The Solicitors Act 1974 belongs to a world of dusty volumes in oak-panelled libraries, writes Victoria Morrison-Hughes

The Solicitors Act 1974 has been the cornerstone of legal regulation in England and Wales for more than half a century, governing the admission of solicitors to the roll, practising certificates, professional discipline, and costs.

Drafted in a pre-digital era, when Ceefax, fax machines and photocopiers were cutting edge, it belongs to a world where lawyers researched from dusty volumes in oak-panelled libraries. Clients rarely challenged their solicitors’ bills because they trusted the profession.

Fast forward to 2025. Artificial intelligence (AI) churns out documents in seconds; lawyers spend their days squinting at blue-light screens, trying to separate genuine insight from hallucinations. The legal landscape has transformed, but the Solicitors Act 1974, despite amendments, has not. It is out of step with modern consumer law, leaving both clients and solicitors struggling to navigate its complexity.

Consumer confusion & regulatory fog

Many clients remain confused about who regulates who, what protections

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London Solicitors Litigation Association—John McElroy

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