SRA Handbook

Sole practitioners

Version 21 of the Handbook was published on 06/12/2018. For more information, please click 'History' Above

Rule 10: Sole practitioners

10.1

If you are a solicitor or REL you must not practise as a sole practitioner unless:

(a)

the SRA has authorised your practice as a recognised sole practice, or

(b)

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(c)

you are authorised to practise as a sole practitioner by an approved regulator other than the SRA.

10.2

If you are a solicitor or REL you will not be regarded as practising as a sole practitioner and you are exempt from the obligation for your practice to be a recognised sole practice if:

(a)

your practice is conducted entirely from an office or offices outside England and Wales;

(b)

your practice consists entirely of work as a temporary or permanent employee and any firm which employs you takes full responsibility for you as an employee; or

(c)

your practice consists entirely of:

(i)

providing professional services without remuneration for friends, relatives, companies wholly owned by you or your family, or registered charities; and/or

(ii)

administering oaths and statutory declarations; and/or

(iii)

activities which could constitute practice but are done in the course of discharging the functions of any of the offices or appointments listed in paragraph (i)(E) of the definition of private practice.