CQS Articles, Tips & Latest News

Law firms authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) must make several key appointments within their teams to ensure their firm is compliant across the board, from COLPs and COFAs to Money Laundering Reporting Officers. These roles are tasked with supporting or upholding the firm’s obligations in respect of regulation.

Away from the regulatory aspect, one of the most important positions in many firms that conduct residential conveyancing work, is that of the “Senior Reporting Officer” (SRO), who is a critical figure as required for the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS). In this article, we shall assess the role of an SRO, informing you of key aspects for consideration when deciding who to appoint. 

In May 2022, the CPMS (Core Practice Management Standards) for the CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) was updated by the Law Society to augment the credibility of the CQS, safeguard the interests of clients and promote excellence within the legal profession, giving a more up-to-date account in an ever-changing legal world. Most conveyancing law firms will have already been through one round of audits with the latest standards - however, it is important to be aware of the changes and consistently comply with the standards.

Forget spiders or snakes….no matter what industry you operate in, the word “assessment” is scary enough to bring anyone out in a cold sweat. It instantly brings to mind a barrage of tasks, red tape, paperwork chasing, and images of some unknown cold-hearted auditor evaluating your every move like your least favourite teacher from school [shudder].

Launched in 2010 by the Law Society, the Conveyancing Quality Scheme has been widely adopted with many solicitors and law firms adding the CQS accreditation to their branding and marketing material. In fact, we reached out to the Law Society who advised that as of November 2023, they have 2,686 firms accredited on the scheme.