What is a Compliance Officer for Legal Practice and what do they do?

Every law firm regulated by the SRA must appoint a Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP).

The title alone suggests someone who spends their days buried in rulebooks, gently sighing at minor breaches.

The reality is a little more interesting.

A COLP sits at the centre of a firm’s regulatory life. They are responsible for making sure the firm complies with the SRA’s Standards and Regulations. This includes everything from the firm’s systems and reporting methods to its culture and staff behaviour.

The easiest way to say it is that the COLP is the person the SRA expects to have a clear view of whether the firm is doing what it should.

So, what does a COLP actually do?

Don’t worry, the role of a COLP doesn’t mean you’re going to be spending every hour of every day personally checking every file or hovering over every solicitor’s shoulder.

You’ll mainly be focusing on oversight and accountability.

A COLP will usually:

• Monitor the firm’s compliance with the SRA Code of Conduct and wider regulatory requirements
• Ensure appropriate systems and controls are in place to support compliance
• Record and assess breaches of the SRA’s rules
• Decide which breaches are serious enough to report to the SRA
• Make those reports where required
• Promote a culture where people feel able to raise concerns early

A COLP needs to understand the Code inside out and know exactly how the firm operates.

Who should be a COLP?

The SRA expects the COLP to be a manager or employee of sufficient seniority and authority to challenge behaviour where necessary.

It should be someone who can influence decisions and access information across the firm.

It’s not a role to take on without knowing the full extent of the personal responsibility involved.

The SRA can take action against a COLP who fails to take “reasonable steps” to carry out their duties.

Thinking of taking on the COLP role?

If you are newly appointed to the COLP role, or about to be, make sure you’ve got access to the appropriate training to help you perform your duties.

Our Introduction to the COLP Role course is designed to do exactly that.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Define the role of a COLP confidently
• Understand the key responsibilities attached to the position
• Identify the main elements of the SRA Codes of Conduct that fall within the COLP’s remit
• Know the steps required to fulfil the role.

If you are going to hold the title, you should feel confident wearing it.

To take a look at the course, book a demo with our team and they will show you around our online training platform and everything it has to offer.