What is unethical conduct?
Unethical conduct is any behaviour that deliberately or recklessly falls short of our organisation’s policies, or our profession’s legal and / or regulatory requirements. This can include:
- Dishonesty: Falsifying records, misrepresenting facts, concealing material information or misleading others.
- Abuse of power or position: Exploiting authority or influence for personal benefit or to disadvantage others.
- Other breaches: Any action that deliberately or recklessly violates the SRA, Law Society of Scotland or Law Society of Northern Ireland’s requirements, or the law.
Immediate actions to take if you experience unethical conduct
Document what happened
- Write down what happened as soon as you can and record dates, times, locations and names of any witnesses.
- Keep any evidence such as emails, messages, or photos.
This is helpful, whether you decide to report it or not.
Reporting options
Experiencing or witnessing unethical conduct can leave you feeling unsettled, anxious, or unsure of what to do next. Any such behaviour is unacceptable and against our organisational values and regulatory and / or legal requirements and you are encouraged to report this to the firm.
- Talk to someone: Concerns can be raised with your Contact Partner, Line Manager, Head of Department, your People Team contact or the Risk and Best Practice Team.
- Report + Support: If you do not feel comfortable speaking to someone initially, you can share details using the Report + Support platform. You can choose to do so anonymously or with your contact details. Further information about reporting can be found in the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ document.
Available support
Possibly support avenues could include:
Internal Support
- People Advisory Team: Offer professional guidance and wellbeing support to help you navigate a wide range of complex situations. The team provide a safe and impartial space to talk things through.
- Risk and Best Practice Team: Offer advice and support on legal, regulatory and compliance matters.
- Inclusion Ambassadors: Identified by pink and black lanyards, they offer peer-level support, promote awareness, and help foster a culture where everyone feels respected and heard.
- Mental Health First Aiders: Trained to provide initial support for mental health concerns, these colleagues are a first point of contact if you're struggling or need someone to talk to. They can listen without judgement, offer reassurance, and guide you towards appropriate professional help if needed.
External Support
- Employee Assistance Programme: Free, confidential support with a trained counsellor. You can call on 0800 015 5630 or visit their website at www.eap-carefirst.com (username: lifestyle1234 and password: carefirst)
- LawCare: Mental health support for legal professionals. You can call on 0800 279 6888 or visit their website at https://www.lawcare.org.uk.
Please refer to the 'Available Support' pages on the Report + Support platform for a comprehensive list of support.
Supporting others who have been subjected to bullying
If someone confides in you:
- Listen without judgement.
- Offer practical help (e.g. accompany them to report and/or exploring support options).
- Help them explore their options but avoid pressuring them to any particular action. Encourage them to speak to a senior colleague, the People or Risk and Best Practice Teams or report their concern using Report + Support.
- Consider your self-reporting requirements under paragraphs 7.7 and 7.8 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors .
- Look after your own wellbeing too.