SRA Standards and Regulations

Temporary emergency authorisation or approval

An application for temporary emergency authorisation may be made: within seven days of any change in the management or control of an authorised body which brings into being a new unauthorised body or practice; within 28 days of the death or incapacity of a sole practitioner by a solicitor or an REL who is: the sole practitioner's executor, personal representative, attorney under a lasting...

Authorisation decision

The SRA may grant an application for authorisation in relation to one or more reserved legal activity. The SRA will refuse an application for authorisation if it is not satisfied that, if authorisation is granted: the applicant's managers, interest holders or management and governance arrangements are suitable to operate or control a business providing regulated legal services; the applicant...

Restrictions on services provided by a recognised body or recognised sole practice

If you are a recognised body or recognised sole practice, your business may consist only of the provision of: professional services of the sort provided by individuals practising as solicitors and/or lawyers of other jurisdictions; and the services set out in annex 2 (whether or not they are also included in paragraph (a)), and if you have a notary public as a manager or employee, then...

Complaints handling

You ensure that, as appropriate in the circumstances, you either establish and maintain, or participate in, a procedure for handling complaints in relation to the legal services you provide. You ensure that clients are informed in writing at the time of engagement about: their right to complain to you about your services and your charges; how a complaint can be made and to whom; and any right...

Service and competence

You only act for clients on instructions from the client, or from someone properly authorised to provide instructions on their behalf. If you have reason to suspect that the instructions do not represent your client's wishes, you do not act unless you have satisfied yourself that they do. However, in circumstances where you have legal authority to act notwithstanding that it is not possible to...

Client money and assets

You properly account to clients for any financial benefit you receive as a result of their instructions, except where they have agreed otherwise. You safeguard money and assets entrusted to you by clients and others. You do not personally hold client money save as permitted under regulation 10.2(b)(vii) of the Authorisation of Individuals Regulations, unless you work in an authorised body, or...

Eligibility for admission of qualified lawyers

You will be eligible for admission as a solicitor if the SRA is satisfied: you hold a legal professional qualification that is recognised by the SRA, which confers rights to practise in England and Wales or in an overseas jurisdiction; and subject to regulation 3.2, you meet the criteria in regulation 1.1(a), (b),(d) and (e). Subject to regulation 3.3, if you hold a qualification recognised...

Retention

If you are a solicitor and you do not hold a practising certificate the SRA will write to you once a year at the last notified version of your postal or email address to ask you whether you wish your name to remain on the roll. If, following an enquiry under regulation 5.4, you wish your name to remain on the roll, you shall be required to pay a fee of £20.

Eligibility requirements

The SRA shall only grant an application for a practising certificate, or registration in the register of European lawyers, register of foreign lawyers or the register of Swiss lawyers if you meet the eligibility requirements in this regulation. You will be eligible to apply for a practising certificate if: your name is on the roll; and you are not suspended from practice as a solicitor....

Determination of applications

If the SRA considers it to be in the public interest to do so, it must: refuse your application for a practising certificate, or your application for registration or renewal of registration, in the register of European lawyers, the register of foreign lawyers, or the register of Swiss lawyers; or at any time, whether on grant of such an application or at the end of a period of suspension of a...