SRA Standards and Regulations

Eligibility

You will be eligible to apply for authorisation: as a licensed body, if you are a licensable body and have at least one manager that is an authorised person (other than a licensed body); as a recognised body, if you are a legal services body in which all of the managers and interest holders are legally qualified; or as a recognised sole practice, if you are a solicitor or an REL who is the...

Capping payments of multiple applications

Where multiple applications are made to the Fund: that relate to the same or connected underlying circumstances; and the SRA is satisfied that the total amount of the grants made from the Fund in respect of such applications is likely to exceed £5 million, the SRA may impose a limit on the total amount to be paid in respect of those applications of £5 million. Where the SRA imposes a limit...

Eligibility for admission

You will be eligible for admission as a solicitor if the SRA is satisfied: you have successfully and satisfactorily passed an assessment which is designed to assess your competence against the prescribed competences for solicitors and is conducted by an assessment organisation appointed by the SRA for the purpose; you hold a degree or qualifications or experience which the SRA is satisfied are...

Eligibility for a grant

A person is eligible to apply for a grant out of the Fund if, at the time the application is made, they are: an individual; a sole trader; partnership, body corporate, unincorporated association or mutual association with an annual turnover or assets of less than £2 million; a charity with annual income net of tax in the most recent financial year of less than £2 million; or a trustee of a...

Maintenance of and contributions to the Fund

The SRA shall establish and maintain a fund for making grants in respect of applications made in accordance with these rules. Solicitors, RELs, RFLs, recognised bodies and licensed bodies must make contributions to the Fund in such amounts and at such times as may be prescribed. Any unpaid contributions may be recovered as a debt due to the SRA. The SRA may at any time: borrow for the purposes...

Appeals to the High Court or Tribunal

Unless otherwise provided in the relevant statute, or rules of the Tribunal, court or of the Legal Services Board, any appeal to the High Court or Tribunal against a decision set out in annex 2 or 3, as appropriate, must be commenced within the period of 28 days from the date of notification of the decision that is subject to appeal.

Communication and disclosure

You must ensure that, in relation to insurance distribution: you communicate all information, including marketing communications, in a way that is clear, fair and not misleading. your marketing communications are always clearly identifiable as such.

Decisions on review

A review will usually be determined by an authorised decision maker on consideration of written evidence alone. An adjudicator may at their sole discretion invite the relevant person to be interviewed by an authorised decision maker accompanied by their representative (if any). Subject to rule 4.3, on a review (save for a review of a decision made under rule 3.1(h) of the SRA Regulatory and...

Immigration work

Subject to regulation 9.7, if you are a solicitor, an REL or RFL you may undertake immigration work, provided that such work is undertaken: through an authorised body; through an authorised non-SRA firm that is a qualified person under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; as an employee, for your employer or work colleagues; or through a non-commercial advice service which is registered with...

Fixed financial penalties

Where the SRA has evidence that a relevant person has committed one or more of the breaches listed in rule 11.2, it may notify them and will: set out the allegation and the facts in support, accompanied by any evidence or documentation that the SRA considers to be relevant to the allegation; require the relevant person to remedy any specified breaches and provide evidence of the action taken...