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Anthony Townsend, chief executive of the SRA, is quoted as saying that “compliance officers cannot be sacrificial lambs. You can’t just shuffle off responsibility for compliance”. ‘You’ here means the management and it begs an obvious question: if management can’t shuffle off its responsibilities for compliance, why have compliance officers at all?

Beware the British summer – the season of storms, gales, flooded caravans, transport chaos, sporting disappointment and, if you’re not careful, one other seasonal surprise. At this time of year, many firms rally their troops with an office summer party. Often held outside, it seemed such a great idea all those dark, wet, cold months ago. Now that it’s light, wet and cold, don’t make the mistake of going on holiday without knowing who won the COLP raffle. Your post-holiday, back-to-work blues won’t be helped by finding that you drew the winning ticket in your absence.

Our latest round-up of key news snippets sees the ex-chief of the CLC launch a consultancy, a new COLP and COFA helpline, a campaign against personal injury “auctions”, Lawyers on Demand goes it alone, a run-off cover boost for retiring solicitors, and a rethink on financial services ABSs.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority is set to delay the compliance officer regime, it has emerged. The scheme for compliance officers for legal practice (COLPs) and for finance and administration (COFAs) was due to go live on 1 November.

The third edition of the SRA Handbook in just seven months has gone live after being approved by the Legal Services Board. A fourth edition in less than a year since the Handbook went live on 6 October 2011 should be necessary in June.