SRA Handbook

Re-accreditation, special circumstances and appeals

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Version 17 of the Handbook was published on 12/08/2016. For more information, please click 'History' Above

Part 6: Re-accreditation, special circumstances and appeals

Regulation 17: Re-accreditation

17.1

Subject to regulation 8.2 above, if you are accredited to conduct criminal advocacy, then you must apply for re-accreditation at your current level in the manner prescribed by the SRA within five years of the date you were first accredited or your most recent re-accreditation at that level.

17.2

The SRA may where it thinks appropriate ask you to apply for re-accreditation within a different period to that specified in regulation 17.1 above and you must comply with such a request.

17.3

You must supply appropriate evidence to support your application for re-accreditation demonstrating your competence to conduct criminal advocacy in accordance with the QASA.

17.4

If you fail to apply for re-accreditation within the period required by the SRA and have not been granted an extension of the period under regulation 18, your accreditation at your current level will lapse.

17.5

If you do not satisfy the requirements for re-accreditation, your accreditation at your current level will lapse and you will be provisionally accredited at the level below.

Regulation 18: Special circumstances

18.1

You may, on application to the SRA, apply for an extension of the period for accreditation or re-accreditation, which the SRA may grant. An extension of the period for accreditation or re-accreditation may be granted on such terms as the SRA sees fit.

18.2

You may, on providing the SRA with adequate reasons, apply for an independent assessment of your competence to conduct criminal advocacy at levels 2, 3 or 4 and submit such an assessment in place of one or more CAEFs.

18.3

An application under regulation 18.1 for an extension of the period for accreditation or re-accreditation must be made before the expiry of the date by which the relevant application for accreditation or re-accreditation must be made.

Regulation 19: Additional measures

19.1

The SRA may receive at any point during the currency of your accreditation CAEFs which raise a concern about your competence to conduct criminal advocacy. Where the SRA receives any such concern, either because you have provided such information or otherwise, the SRA may do one or more of the following:

(a)

appoint an independent assessor to conduct an assessment of your criminal advocacy;

(b)

require you to take specific steps;

(c)

revoke your accreditation at your current level; or

(d)

where such concerns amount to a breach of the Principles, refer you for consideration of disciplinary action.

Guidance note:

(i)

We will inform you and provide our reasons for taking action in any case where regulation 19 is relied upon.

19.2

Where you have applied for accreditation or re-accreditation at level 1 and your application has been refused, you will not be entitled to accept any instructions to conduct criminal advocacy and the SRA may recommend you to take specific steps in accordance with regulation 19.1 before you reapply for accreditation or re-accreditation as appropriate.

19.3

Where the SRA has required you to take specific steps under regulation 19.1(b), the SRA shall assess the outcome of that action before deciding upon any pending application or further application that you may have submitted or any further action that the SRA intends to take.

Regulation 20: Appeals against decisions

20.1

You may within 28 days of receiving notification of the SRA's decision appeal against that decision.

20.2

You may not appeal to the SRA against a decision by an assessment organisation where you have failed an assessment.

20.3

You may not appeal to the SRA against an evaluation by an external assessor or a Judge.