Ex-Baker McKenzie partner confirmed in SRA role amid leadership expansion

The SRA has confirmed former Baker McKenzie partner Jonathan Peddie in a permanent senior leadership role and created four new executive directors posts.

Peddie has been appointed executive director for investigations, enforcement and litigation, having held the position on an interim basis since September 2025.

Leadership expansion

The four new executive director roles span supervision, risk and data and insight, general counsel and compliance, and external affairs and communications.

Chief executive Sarah Rapson said the organisation “must change” to meet expectations as a modern regulator, with the leadership expansion designed to add capacity and expertise.

The regulator has also appointed a transformation lead and is removing a layer of management as part of efforts to streamline its structure.

Operational focus

The changes form part of the SRA’s “operational excellence” programme, which Rapson said is intended to modernise and build towards a more effective and trusted organisation.

The SRA said it is aiming to improve the speed and quality of regulatory decisions, including through stronger case handling, better triage and earlier risk identification rather than relying on reactive investigations.

Performance pressure

The overhaul follows a series of high-profile law firm collapses and interventions that have put the regulator’s oversight under scrutiny, including the shortcoming on Axiom Ince and Sheffield law firm SSB.

Acting as a super-regulator, the Legal Services Board (LSB) raised concerns about how quickly risks were identified and acted on.