News from Around the Industry - Response to SRA's Draft Practice Guide for IHL

Hello Folks,

It's time to catch up on the latest developments in the legal industry. In this newsletter, I won't delve into complex theories or psychological insights. Instead, I bring you concise updates and reflections on recent industry happenings.

Attached, you'll find two important documents:

1. The 2024 Salary Guide for In-House Lawyers in the UK.
2. The SRA's draft guidance on determining the true client of In-House Lawyers.

Let's briefly discuss the draft guidance from the SRA:

The SRA's draft guidance emphasizes that the duty of In-House Lawyers (IHL) to the court and the public supersedes their duty to their client. It underscores the importance of maintaining objectivity with the executive and stakeholders, a principle that seemed overlooked in recent high-profile cases involving organizations like the Post Office and RICS.

This guidance appears to be a response to the publicity surrounding these cases.

However, it doesn't introduce new obligations; rather, it clarifies an aspect I've been advocating for over a decade: stakeholders and directors are not the clients of In-House Lawyers; the company itself is.

However, with the SRA now focusing more on the role of In-House Lawyers, organisations must undergo a transformation in how they perceive the relationship between the legal team and the executive.

As we have seen recently, failure to do so could result in breaching SRA regulations.

So, what does this mean for you?

It necessitates a transformation of the relationship between Legal and the executive & stakeholders. Where you will need to get really clear on what the Legal Team's role is and is not.

It requires:

• A mindset shift, for most, towards stakeholders and the executive.
• A clear strategy & plan to transform the relationship between Legal and the business.
• You to be brave to enter into these discussions and to have the WHY clear.
• Resilience & patience on your part as people around you get used to a shift.
• Time.

Transformation and project management skills.

How do you get these?

If you don't have a strategy or understand the skills you need to make this change sustainable, you will end up even more stressed, confused and worried.

If you've been following my newsletters, you'll know that I've been advocating for these changes for over 10 years.

This is precisely why I launched the In-House Lawyers Leadership Programme in 2020, to address the strained relationships between Legal and the Executive.

If you're unsure how to begin this transformation process, I encourage you to book a Discovery Call below to explore how the ILLP can assist you and your team.

LINKS HERE ??????

Book a Call

UK Legal Salary Guide

SRA Draft IHL Practice Guidance

Warm regards,

Donna

The In-House Lawyers Coach

Tel: 07414438077

Email: [email protected]