SRA Handbook

Foreign lawyers

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Version 5 of the Handbook was published on 01/10/2012. For more information, please click 'History' Above

Rule 7: Foreign lawyers

7.1

If an REL is exempted from contributing to the Fund on the basis that he or she has completely equivalent cover under home state rules, no grant shall be made:

(a)

in respect of any act or default of the REL or his or her employee unless, in the case of an employee, the employee is:

(i)

a solicitor; or

(ii)

the employee of a partnership which includes at least one person who or which contributes to the Fund; or

(b)

under rule 6, to the REL.

7.2

No grant shall be made in respect of any act or default of an REL or an EEL, or the employee of an REL, where such act or default took place outside the United Kingdom, unless the SRA is satisfied that the act or default was, or was closely connected with, the act or default of a solicitor or the employee of a solicitor, or that the act or default was closely connected with the REL's practice in the United Kingdom.

7.3

No grant shall be made in respect of the act or default of an RFL, or of the employee of an RFL, where such act or default took place outside England and Wales, unless the SRA is satisfied that the act or default was, or was closely connected with, the act or default of a solicitor or the employee of a solicitor, or that the act or default was closely connected with practice in England and Wales.