SRA secures grant to develop new approaches to alternative dispute resolution

The SRA has received a grant of £119,691 from the Regulators Pioneer Fund (RPF) which, it plans to use to develop greater access to alternative dispute resolution.

The project is set to launch in September 2023 and will aim to develop technological solutions to expand the use of dispute resolution, reducing the need for businesses to seek redress through the courts.

Paul Philip, Chief Executive of the SRA said: ‘We welcome this important opportunity to work with our partners to support people in resolving their legal issues without having to use the courts. This has the potential to make a real difference for individual consumers, saving them time and money, as well as relieving pressure on the court system, which benefits the wider community.’

The SRA’s project aims to consult both consumers and public representative groups to better understand potential barriers as well as the future benefits of accessing dispute resolution digitally.

The proposals include sharing and developing best practice which the SRA hopes will then be used by law firms to deliver low-cost ADR solutions for clients.

Latest figures released by the Ministry of Justice found that 68% of civil court users would prefer to avoid formal litigation unless all other ADR options have been exhausted.

Despite the overwhelming appetite for consumers to engage in ADR, in 2019 alone the County Courts were served with 2 million civil proceedings, adding to the already over-burdened court system.

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