LSRA Publishes Second Statutory Review of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015

The Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) has published its second statutory review of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, conducted under section 6 of the Act, and submitted to both Houses of the Oireachtas.

The review incorporated a public consultation, which received 15 submissions from organisations and individuals, alongside an in-depth analysis of the Act informed by the Authority’s operational experience since its establishment.

The report highlights three key areas of public interest:

• First, it identifies 28 priority legislative amendments to Part 6 of the 2015 Act aimed at improving the efficiency and transparency of complaints handling, ensuring that delays caused by procedural rigidity do not undermine public confidence in legal regulation.
• Second, it emphasises the protection of the public and consumers of legal services, recommending reforms that balance professional independence with accountability so that the complaints process serves the public interest rather than functioning solely as an internal disciplinary mechanism.
• Third, it supports enhanced regulatory coherence and data sharing between the LSRA, the Law Society, and the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal, enabling a comprehensive view of disciplinary histories and reducing duplication or oversight.

The LSRA concludes that these legislative amendments are necessary to strengthen administrative efficiency, public accountability, and consumer protection, ensuring the continued effective operation of the regulatory framework.

Click here to view the statutory review of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015.