The SRA is checking whether firms publish their prices

In its latest annual report, the SRA says it reviewed more than 2,000 firms under its price transparency rules, issuing 838 warnings and 55 fixed penalties.

Since 2018, many law firms have had to publish price and service information on their websites so that clients can compare firms before instructing one. The SRA's latest annual report suggests that compliance is still patchy.

In its last reporting year, the regulator reviewed more than 2,000 firms against the transparency rules. It issued 838 warnings and 55 fixed penalties. Reports about solicitors also hit a record 15,914, up 34%, and referrals for investigation rose by more than half.

Separately, the Legal Services Board has just approved the SRA's approach to its new unlimited fining power for economic crime.

For clients, the message is that it's worth checking a firm's website for its published prices before you instruct it. If what you're later billed is very different from what was published, ask why.

Why this matters to you

Published prices give you something concrete to compare a bill against. When a firm doesn't publish them, that is a regulatory failing in itself.