Legal

In the legal sector, integrity, and honesty is crucial because it is a highly regulated sector. Hiring the wrong person can put a firm at risk. As a result, it's critical to verify and establish that your prospect is who they claim they are and has the necessary professional credentials.

It is worthy of note that the Suitability Test overseen by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is the single most critical piece in conducting background screening checks in the legal industry. It is aimed to guarantee that a solicitor can exhibit integrity, professionalism and honesty.

It also necessitates a lengthy list of assurances on a person's background and character. This, predictably, will necessitate a Standard Disclosure upon entrance into the profession.

If the applicant has lived abroad for more than 12 months in the previous five years, an international equivalent of standard disclosure will be required but to make matters even more complicated, the SRA Handbook's Basic Requirements have been modified 13 times in the five years leading up to 2019, making it difficult to keep up with all of the latest revisions.

Credit checks are also a significant (though sometimes neglected) component of the Test. The SRA looks for evidence that an individual can manage their finances effectively, has never been dishonest about their finances, and has avoided responsibility for any personal obligations in order to be satisfied that they are unlikely to be financially compromised. However, voluntarily extending SRA-level background and even social media screenings are recommended.

In a similar vein, it's common practice to do checks to see if a candidate is currently registered with the SRA and if any disciplinary matters have been filed with the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. If a solicitor does not follow the SRA guidelines, he or she will pay a fine or be barred from practising law.

RiskReduct has extensive experience in locating the appropriate services to mitigate this risk, including criminal and civil background checks. We can also verify credentials such as education and experience, as well as a variety of professional licenses. Pre-employment screening tailored to the legal industry is something that RiskReduct highly recommends.