SRA Handbook

Application for approval

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Version 16 of the Handbook was published on 01/04/2016. For more information, please click 'History' Above

Rule 13: Application for approval

13.1

This Part governs the SRA's determination of applications for:

(a)

approval of an authorised body's managers and owners pursuant to Rule 8.6(a); and

(b)

approval of an authorised body's compliance officers, pursuant to Rule 8.5(b) and (d).

13.2

The SRA will deem a person to be approved as suitable to be a manager or owner of an authorised body under this Part if:

(a)

that person is:

(i)

a solicitor who holds a current practising certificate;

(ii)

an authorised body;

(iii)

an REL; or

(iv)

an RFL;

(b)

there is no condition on the person's practising certificate, registration or authorisation as appropriate, preventing or restricting them from being a manager, owner or interest holder of an authorised body or being a sole practitioner;

(c)

the SRA is notified on the prescribed form in advance of the person becoming a manager or owner of the authorised body; and

(d)

the SRA has not previously withdrawn its approval of that person to be a manager or owner under Rule 17.

13.3

The SRA will deem a person to be approved as suitable to be a compliance officer of an authorised body under this Part if:

(a)

that person is an individual who is a sole practitioner or a lawyer who is a manager of the authorised body;

(b)

the authorised body has an annual turnover of no more than £600,000;

(c)

the SRA is notified of the appointment of the person as a compliance officer on the prescribed form, correctly completed, in advance of the appointment commencing;

(d)

that person is not subject to a regulatory investigation or finding, including a discipline investigation of which they have received notice, a disciplinary decision or a SRA finding, or an application to or a finding of the Tribunal, or any equivalent investigation or finding of another regulatory body;

(e)

notwithstanding the generality of sub paragraph (d), the SRA has not previously refused or withdrawn its approval of that person to be a compliance officer under rule 17; and

(f)

the person is not a compliance officer of any other authorised body.