Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) is an independent body responsible for the regulation of the legal professions under the provisions of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015. Subject to the 2015 Act, the Authority shall be independent in the performance of its functions.

Since the commencement of the relevant complaints related provisions of the 2015 Act on 7 October 2019, the first point of contact for new complaints in relation to the professional conduct of solicitors, and barristers, is the LSRA.

Furthermore, Section 74 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 provides for the establishment of the Legal Practitioners' Disciplinary Tribunal (LPDT). In November 2020, the President of the High Court appointed the LPDT to deal with complaints of serious misconduct by both solicitors and barristers. Applications made to the LPDT must come through the Law Society of Ireland or the Legal Services Regulatory Authority. The LPDT is independent of both the Minister and the LSRA in the performance of its tasks and the exercise of its powers.

Prior to the commencement of the LSRA’s complaints regime in October 2019, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) dealt with complaints of serious misconduct which were either referred to it by the Law Society or were made directly to the SDT by members of the public under the preceding regulatory framework.

The procedures of the SDT are regulated by the Solicitors Acts, 1954 to 2015 and its members are appointed by the President of the High Court and act independently of the Law Society.