The 26% Problem: Time Poverty in Law Firm Compliance

Almost 50% of those interviewed by the SRA said time pressure was their primary barrier to performing their duties properly.

This raises a critical question:
Where is the support from firms that promised to provide time and resources when appointing their COLP?

Many firms do not provide deputies.
Some deputies themselves are overworked.
And in many smaller firms, there is nobody to delegate to at all.

Without time, training, or support, compliance becomes reactive - not proactive.

Both the SRA and the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal have repeatedly stated:

Time pressure does not excuse regulatory failings.

But the reality inside firms is very different.

Fee‑earning targets dominate.
Compliance gets squeezed.
And when resources are limited, compliance becomes everyone’s “second job.”

This leads to risk, stress, and structural weakness.

25% of compliance officers said they struggle to balance fee‑earning with compliance.

When profitability pressures collide with compliance obligations, the firm usually prioritises fees.

But Brian makes an essential point:

Compliance prevents fees leaking out of the business through:

• insurance excesses
• negligence claims
• compensation payments
• wasted management time
• SRA sanctions

“Stopping the drain is as important as earning the fees.”

Compliance is not a cost. It’s protection for the firm’s revenue.

Every compliance officer in the SRA’s sample held at least one other role, often:

• Fee earner
• COFA
• MLRO
• MLCO

For sole practitioners, these roles are often combined into a single person - making effective oversight nearly impossible.

Many COLPs told the SRA that instead of planning and improving compliance, they spend their time firefighting.

Strategic oversight, the core purpose of the role, is lost.

This leaves firms exposed to:

• random audits
• avoidable breaches
• incomplete policies
• poor reporting practices
• higher risk profiles

Instead of preventing fires, COLPs are putting them out.

Brian highlights a crucial point missing from the SRA’s approach:

“When things go wrong, where were the partners?”

COLPs are important - but they are not the only people responsible for compliance.

Partners cannot simply hand responsibility down and then blame the COLP when things fall apart.

27% of compliance officers reported struggling to keep up with regulatory updates.

The reasons are clear:

• AML guidance alone can exceed 1,300 pages
• SRA rules were simplified in 2019, but guidance exploded
• Compliance information is now scattered across multiple sources
• Data protection, bribery, and technology risks all add layers

The workload is enormous and still growing.

Routine administrative tasks take time that should be spent on risk analysis.

This leads many to ask:

Can AI help?

Brian argues yes - if firms are willing to invest.
Tools that highlight trends, flag breaches, and automate workflows can transform compliance.

But the challenge is confidence, cost, and change-management.

A recurring theme is cultural:

Many staff believe “compliance is the COLP’s job.”

But successful firms recognise:

• Everyone has a duty to report issues
• Partners must support compliance actively
• Staff must be trained to recognise risks
• The COLP cannot carry the entire load

When compliance relies on a time-starved individual, the system collapses.

When compliance officers spend three‑quarters of their time not doing compliance, firms are not taking compliance seriously.

They are ticking boxes and hoping for the best.

But hope is not a compliance strategy.

Episode 4 explores:

“The Stress Epidemic – Why 52% of COLPs Say Their Stress Is Role‑Related.”

A crisis building beneath the surface.