The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have appointed a new Chief Executive Officer to replace the departing Paul Philip, who leaves after nearly a decade in the role.
Philip retires later this year and will be replaced by Sarah Rapson, who currently serves as Executive Director Supervision at the Financial Reporting Council, and has an extensive background in government with roles on the Board of the UK Home Office and as the first Director-General of UK Visas and Immigration and Chief Executive of HM Passport Service. She will take on the role towards the end of 2025.
Anna Bradley, Chair of the SRA Board, said:
“Sarah stood out in what was a strong field as someone who had the right skills and knowledge to take the SRA to the next level. She has the broad and deep regulatory, policy and management experience to help her guide us through an increasingly challenging environment. I look forward to working with her.
‘Paul Philip has led the organisation with purpose over the past 12 years. The board thanks him for his leadership in responding to a changing professional landscape. His work has strengthened public protection and reshaped our approach.”
Sarah Rapson added
“I’m honoured to be asked to lead the SRA at such a pivotal moment for the legal sector. As we enter a new chapter, we’ll continue to navigate the opportunities and challenges brought by emerging technologies and evolving ways of working.
“The public rightly expects legal professionals to uphold the highest standards of integrity and competence. I look forward to working closely with the profession, colleagues across the SRA, and with other regulators to ensure those standards are met – and to intervene appropriately where they are not.”
Rapson’s inbox will no doubt include the regulator’s response to Legal Service Board’s (LSB) directive to ‘take action’ in the wake of high profile firm failures, and continuing to tackle the challenges presented by money laundering non-compliance. Describing the situation as a ‘critical time’ in the SRA’s history, Law Society of England and Wales chief executive officer Ian Jeffery welcomed Rapson saying
“I would like to extend my congratulations to Sarah… Restoring consumer and solicitors’ trust and confidence in the regulator following a challenging period, which has seen the collapse of Axiom Ince and SSB Law, will be vital. I look forward to working with Sarah as she starts in her new role later this year.”
In its statement, the SRA said
“we are committed to an agile, data-driven and risk-based system of regulation – driving high professional standards, fostering public trust in legal services and safeguarding access to justice.”
