The Legal Complaints and Regulation (Penalty) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025

Made: 26th June 2025

Coming into operation: 1st September 2025

The Department of Finance[^f00001], in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2(6) of the Legal Complaints and Regulation Act (Northern Ireland) 2016[^f00002], makes the following Order:

Citation and commencement

1

This Order may be cited as the Legal Complaints and Regulation (Penalty) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 and shall come into operation on 1st September 2025.

Interpretation

2

In this Order:

• “professional body” is – The Honourable Society of the Inn of Court of Northern Ireland; or The Law Society of Northern Ireland;

• “the 2016 Act” means the Legal Complaints and Regulation Act (Northern Ireland) 2016.

Penalty

3

The maximum amount of a penalty the Legal Oversight Commissioner may require a professional body to pay under section 2(4) of the 2016 Act is £20,000.

Signed

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance on 26th June 2025.

David Hughes — A senior officer of the Department of Finance

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Order sets the maximum amount the Legal Services Oversight Commissioner may require the Law Society or the Honourable Society of the Inn of Court to pay as a penalty should the professional body either fail to submit a plan which the Commissioner considers adequate for the handling of complaints or fail to handle complaints in accordance with its plan.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: The Department of Finance and Personnel was renamed the Department of Finance by section 1(4) of, and Schedule 1 to, the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (c.5 (N.I.))

[^f00002]: 2016 c.14 (N.I.)

Editorial notes

[^key-e2cb0c7078c5cb009808c06ebb784d0c]: Art. 1 in operation at 1.9.2025, see art. 1

[^key-f525ba1cb7235191bf5eaa1cc5964c3f]: Art. 2 in operation at 1.9.2025, see art. 1

[^key-5443d21709104a4e6b4ae8c040ac4b79]: Art. 3 in operation at 1.9.2025, see art. 1