First of its kind
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has issued its first ever fine to a law firm for failing to provide workforce diversity data on time.
Leicester firm HG Legal has been hit with a £750 financial penalty and £150 in costs after it failed to comply with the regulator’s request, made under paragraph 1.5 of the code of conduct for firms, to submit workforce diversity data within the deadline.
This is in breach of paragraph 3.3 (a) of the code of conduct for law firms, explains a notice published on the SRA’s website. The firm has since complied with the request.
The regulator is able to fine law firms for low-level breaches such as this after it introduced new rules last year.
Law firms can be fined for, among other things, failing to comply with transparency requirements and breaching certain money laundering rules. Fines rise from £750 to £1,500 for a further breach of the same category within three years.