On 30 September 2024 the SRA issued new and updated Guidance on how to comply with the price and service requirements of the Transparency Rules. This is significant, as it’s the first update since the Guidance was originally published in 2018.

The SRA has a rolling programme of proactively checking law firm websites. The news release accompanying publication of the Guidance reveals that since May 2023 they have issued 439 official warnings, and 31 fixed penalty fines to law firms for failing to publish the required pricing, service and complaints information.

The Transparency Rules 2018 require all law firms and freelance solicitors to publish price and service information if they offer the following services:

For individuals

Residential conveyancing, probate, motoring offences (summary only offences), employment tribunals (unfair dismissal claims) and immigration (not asylum applications)

For businesses

Debt recovery (up to £10,000), employment tribunals (defending claims for unfair/wrongful dismissal), licensing applications for business premises.

Published information must include:

• Fees and disbursements
• What services are included in the published price
• Key stages of the matter
• Typical timescales for the matter
• Details of the qualifications and experience of the individuals/teams carrying out the work

The updated Guidance includes a link to a mock law firm website, setting out price and service information for conveyancing and probate services, and a template for ‘any legal service’. These templates provide a clearer insight than previously available into exactly what is required and can easily be adapted for your firm.

There is also new guidance how to engage with online reviews, covering topics such as client confidentiality, and how to respond to positive, negative or fake reviews. Given the huge influence of online reviews in client purchase decisions, and the ease with which clients can -and do – post reviews, this is a useful read.