Insider view
Sorcha Hayes is head of Practice Regulation at the Law Society. She introduces us to the Law Society’s drive to support solicitors in a changing regulatory landscape. Áine O’Connor reports
Regulation has always been baked into what it means to be a solicitor. But as the rules multiply and practitioners juggle ever-fuller diaries, staying on top of compliance can feel like one more job on an already overloaded plate.
The Law Society’s Regulatory Performance Initiative was built to change that – not by softening the standards, but by making them easier to meet.
For Sorcha Hayes, head of Practice Regulation, the notion of trust sits at the heart of regulation.
Although not a solicitor herself, Sorcha recalls being struck by what she sees as one of the defining characteristics of the profession: solicitors voluntarily agree to hold themselves to higher ethical, educational and quality standards in the interests of clients, society, the rule of law and access to justice.
“The title of solicitor is protected under statute because it represents something more than a job title. It acts as a promise of quality of service to the public and an acknowledgement of the position of trust occupied by the profession,” she says.
The standards themselves are clear and are at the core of what it means to be a solicitor. Every practitioner who chooses to use the protected title accepts responsibility for meeting those standards. The standards themselves are set by the profession through the Law Society’s Council.
At the same time, Sorcha believes good regulation must recognise the practical realities facing modern practitioners: “Behind every practising certificate renewal, insurance proposal form, or regulatory obligation is an individual solicitor dealing with the realities of practice,” she observes.
Listening before acting
Rather than designing reforms from behind a desk, Sorcha and her team went out and asked solicitors directly what they needed. “It was about building trust – us going out to them and getting their feedback on what would help,” she explains.
“We have medium-term projects, we have long-term projects, but I really wanted to focus on what would make a real and meaningful difference now to what solicitors are doing. What would make it easier to comply now? What could we do to help?”
The answer, repeatedly, was that solicitors knew what compliance demanded of them – they simply found the sheer volume of it overwhelming alongside everything else.
“The administrative burden on them is increasing from all angles – not solely from the Law Society,” Sorcha says.
“And so, while the core of traditional regulation remains, it was clear that we needed to think about a new way of doing things – one that could proactively assist solicitors to meet their regulatory requirements, while keeping the standards high and professional obligations where they should be.”
Resilient practices
The philosophy driving the Regulatory Performance Initiative isn’t just about staying above a minimum bar – it’s about weaving compliance into the fabric of how a practice runs, day to day.
“Good systems and risk management can reduce avoidable problems, free up time and resources, and make practices more resilient.
“This, in turn, benefits clients, the profession and, crucially, the solicitor running the practice. It’s the idea that regulation doesn’t have to be a burden on the solicitor – it can actually improve the business,” she says.
Sorcha emphasises that the initiative is not a finite project but an ongoing element of the regulatory framework that will develop in response to solicitor feedback and emerging needs:
“Working with colleagues across the wider Law Society where appropriate, the aim is to identify practical supports that help solicitors meet their obligations more effectively”, she says.
The standard itself does not change. What changes is the availability of practical guidance, supports, tools and services that make compliance easier to achieve and maintain. In her view, this is the essence of ‘regulation as a service’.
Up and running
Several strands of the Regulatory Performance Initiative are already in place, including:
- Regulation Answers Helpline, offering solicitors a way to get guidance on general compliance questions,
- Regulatory Support Clinics, providing opportunities for direct engagement between solicitors and Regulation Department experts on compliance issues,
- The Regulation Matters programme, offering practical educational content through webinars and on-demand resources, and
- The Succession Hub, built with Solicitor Services, which brings together the business and regulatory sides for solicitors weighing up retirement, succession, merger, restructuring, or firm closure.
Another project that emerged from the initiative arose from a concern raised by Council member Siún Hurley about the decline in the availability of experienced legal bookkeepers.
Smaller firms, in particular, were finding it increasingly difficult to access specialised bookkeeping support.
Through the Education Centre, the Law Society developed a legal bookkeeper programme aimed at helping firms access resources to maintain compliance with their financial obligations.
For Sorcha, it demonstrates the value of listening to the profession and developing meaningful responses to real-world challenges.
Faster certificates
Practical improvements have also reached practising certificate (PC) renewals. Since the Law Society partnered with NoFrixion in late 2024, every solicitor and firm has its own virtual IBAN for electronic payments, letting funds be matched automatically.
“The new system speeds up processing, and we have seen significant improvements, and same-day issuance of practising certificates,” Sorcha says.
The statutory cut-off of 1 February, however, hasn’t moved: “One of the most common mistakes we see is people not getting their payments in on time.
"The proper application must come in with the form and full payment received by the site for 1 February. We have no statutory power to extend that deadline,” she says. “If you don’t pay on time, you have to go to the High Court to backdate your PC.”
In-house solicitors are particularly at risk, she notes, if their firm’s finance department doesn’t move fast enough: “We’ve seen in-house solicitors who have filled in the forms and sent them in, but because of their finance department’s payment cycle, they’re caught and they end up having to pay the PC fee themselves.”
The philosophy driving the Regulatory Performance Initiative isn’t just about staying above a minimum bar – it’s about weaving compliance into the fabric of how a practice runs, day to day “
Her advice – apply in December. “The 1 February deadline is the absolute last night, not the goal.”
Falling premiums
Professional indemnity insurance (PII) has also seen change, with a cumulative reduction in premium-pool levels of 35% over the last four years following work by the PII Committee, bringing premia to their lowest level since 2019.
Next year is expected to bring further stability – a ‘Goldilocks zone’ – where cover remains affordable for firms while the market remains attractive to insurers.
Firms are encouraged to shop around using the Common Proposal Form, though Sorcha cautions that price isn’t everything: “It can sometimes be worth paying a slightly higher premium, but you have a much better service from the insurer and relationship with them, which can be of huge benefit to firms, especially if something goes wrong.”
Sorcha encourages solicitors considering retirement or practice closure to engage early, both with the Law Society and with the Special Purpose Fund manager – DWF Claims (Ireland) Limited.
Early planning can create more options and reduce potential complications. She advises firms to consider closure arrangements carefully and to seek guidance before making significant decisions.
Looking ahead
More than 20 years after joining the Law Society, Sorcha remains motivated by the purpose underpinning her work.
What began as a summer role evolved into a career spanning a variety of functions within the organisation, united by a common theme: supporting a profession that plays a vital role in society.
She remains particularly drawn to the challenge of balancing public protection, professional standards, and practical support in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
“For me, regulation is ultimately about maintaining the integrity of a title that carries real meaning and real responsibility – both for the solicitors who hold it and for the clients and communities they serve.”
The Regulatory Performance Initiative reflects an effort to help solicitors meet those standards in a changing environment. It recognises that behind every protected title is a person, while never losing sight of the responsibilities that accompany that title.
The professional obligation to meet regulatory standards remains constant, but the support available to help solicitors understand and meet those standards continues to evolve.
“Regulatory compliance is the core of what it means to be a solicitor,” Sorcha concludes. “Your very job title says you’ve agreed to hold yourself to that standard. We’re just making sure that we’re helping you to meet it.”
Áine O’Connor is a freelance journalist.
TAKING THE INITIATIVE
The Regulatory Performance Initiative reflects a shift towards ‘regulation as a service’. It is designed to complement the Law Society’s statutory regulatory functions by providing greater practical support to solicitors in understanding and meeting their regulatory obligations.
The approach is based on the principle that effective regulation should help prevent problems as well as respond to them.
By sharing regulatory expertise, guidance and information earlier, the Law Society aims to help solicitors identify and address compliance issues before they develop into more serious regulatory difficulties.
Regulation is also being developed as a business-enhancement tool. Good regulatory compliance can support stronger systems, better risk management, and more resilient practices, while reducing the time and resources firms need to spend resolving avoidable compliance problems.
- Regulation Answers - is a central element of the initiative. This free helpline and online hub provide information and guidance on general regulatory compliance issues across the regulatory life-cycle, from obtaining a first practising certificate through to retirement and cessation of practice. Regulation Answers covers a broad range of regulatory subjects, including practising certificates, professional indemnity insurance, solicitors’ accounts, anti-money-laundering requirements, complaints handling, cybersecurity, sanctions and other practice-related regulatory issues.
- Regulatory Support Clinics - bring assistance directly to the profession. The Law Society has been piloting drop-in clinics around the country where solicitors can discuss regulatory queries and obtain practical guidance from regulation experts.
- The Regulation Matters programme - provides practical regulatory education. Webinars and on-demand resources address subjects such as preparing for an inspection, solicitors’ accounts, AML, cybersecurity, complaints, client onboarding, and managing client expectations.
- Regulatory communications - have also been strengthened. A dedicated regulatory communications function is intended to make regulatory requirements clearer, improve access to practical guidance and ensure that important regulatory developments are communicated effectively to the profession.
- The Succession and Exit Planning Hub - was developed jointly by the Regulatory Performance Initiative and Solicitor Services. The resource brings together regulatory guidance, practical business supports, and case studies to help solicitors plan for retirement, succession, mergers, changes in firm structure, and the orderly cessation of practice. It reflects the regulatory performance approach of combining regulatory requirements with practical support so that firms can plan transitions earlier and manage them more effectively.
- Feedback from the profession - helps shape regulatory supports. Engagement with solicitors and local bar associations is used to identify areas of regulatory difficulty, recurring questions, and opportunities to improve the way regulatory services are delivered.
Of course, the initiative does not reduce the Law Society’s statutory regulatory responsibilities. Enforcement and protection of the public interest remain fundamental. The initiative adds a preventative and supportive dimension to regulation, helping compliant solicitors and firms meet their obligations, while allowing serious breaches, fraud, or illegality to be dealt with through the appropriate regulatory processes.