The SRA issued a warning notice yesterday on the importance of using client/ matter risk assessments (see: https://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/guidance/client-and-matter-risk-assessments/).
The warning notice includes a link to a template that the SRA have devised, together with supporting notes for completing the client and matter risk assessment (see: https://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/resources/money-laundering/guidance-support/client-matter-risk-template/).
The SRA do say that firms should tailor the template to their own circumstances, should they chose to use it. We recommend that you consider the template against your own circumstances. It may be that you decide to adopt the template in its current form. This template would appear to represent the SRA’s expectations of what most firms should be doing.
We also recommend that fee earners are given instruction/training on how to properly complete the template.
