The standard of proof used for professional misconduct proceedings for solicitors has officially changed to ‘balance of probabilities’—the civil standard.
The Legal Services Board (LSB) this week approved an application from the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) to change the standard from that of ‘beyond reasonable doubt’, the criminal standard. LSB chief executive Neil Buckley said: ‘I welcome the SDT’s decision to adopt the civil standard of proof, which brings their approach on assessing professional misconduct into line with that adopted by the rest of the legal services market and almost all professional regulators.’
