Matter closure

Regulatory requirements

The SRA requires you to show that you provide services to clients in a manner which protects their interests in their matter, subject to the proper administration of justice.

The SRA Standards and Regulations 2019 are not prescriptive about how you might do this.

However, if you are Lexcel accredited you will need to perform a concluding risk assessment.

General procedure

It is good practice to have a matter closing procedure that:

1. •

   ensures the client is properly informed that the matter is at an end—see Precedent: Letter reporting to client on outcome of matter

2. •

   ensures the file is reviewed before closing—see Precedent: Concluding risk assessment or review

3. •

   provides for storage and, at an appropriate time, destruction of the file—see Precedents:

   1. ◦

      Receipt of documents—client acknowledgment

   2. ◦

      File thinning example

   3. ◦

      Client property storage log

   4. ◦

      Records management policy, and

   5. ◦

      Records retention