Two-tier professionals?

The Law Society has slated the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) plans to change the solicitors’ Handbook to enable solicitors to work for unregulated entities providing unreserved activities. Law Society president Robert Bourns said the changes risked creating a “two-tier solicitor profession” with certain organisations not regulated despite employing solicitors and providing legal services to the public. Solicitors’ firms, on the other hand, would continue to offer clients the benefit of legal professional privilege, full insurance cover and protection from conflict of interest.