SRA Handbook

The register of holders of practising certificates

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Version 2 of the Handbook was published on 23/12/2011. For more information, please click 'History' Above

Regulation 11: The register of holders of practising certificates

11.1

The SRA must keep a register of solicitors who hold practising certificates, which may be kept in electronic form.

11.2

The register must contain, in respect of each solicitor who holds a practising certificate, the following information:

(a)

full name as shown on the roll;

(b)

date of birth;

(c)

registration number;

(d)

any other legal profession of which the solicitor is a member and whether the solicitor is entitled to practise as a member of that profession;

(e)

date of admission as a solicitor;

(f)

the commencement and replacement dates for the solicitor's current practising certificate;

(g)

whether the solicitor is a recognised sole practitioner, and if so:

(i)

the registered name of the solicitor's sole practice; and

(ii)

any other practising styles used by the solicitor as a sole practitioner;

(h)

the solicitor's place or places of business, except in the case of a non-practising solicitor;

(i)

an address for correspondence in the case of a non-practising solicitor;

(j)

any condition to which the solicitor's practising certificate is subject;

(k)

a note about any suspension of the solicitor from practice, or suspension of the solicitor's practising certificate, or suspension of the solicitor from practice as a sole practitioner, or suspension of the solicitor's authorisation as a recognised sole practitioner, or the termination of any such suspension;

(l)

a note of any order of the Tribunal under section 47 of the SA in respect of the solicitor (or former solicitor), and a note of any order of the High Court or the Court of Appeal striking the solicitor off the roll; and

(m)

any other reasonable information, necessary for carrying out the SRA's statutory objectives, from time to time prescribed by the SRA.

11.3

Public information

(a)

Entries in the register under 11.2(a), (c) to (h) and (j) to (m) must be available for inspection by any member of the public, except that the SRA may in exceptional circumstances and if it considers that to do so would be in the public interest, withhold:

(i)

the address of any or all a solicitor's places of business; or

(ii)

all information about a condition to which a solicitor's practising certificate is subject, or details of the condition.

(b)

The date on which a solicitor's practising certificate or authorisation as a recognised sole practitioner expired or was revoked must be made available to a member of the public on request.

Guidance note

(i)

Because sole practitioners are not authorised by means of endorsement on their practising certificate after 31 March 2012 or the date on which an order made pursuant to section 69 of the LSA relating to the status of sole practitioners comes into force, whichever is the later, the register shows only suspensions of authorisation as a recognised sole practitioner occurring up to that date. For information on sole practitioner firms after that please refer to the register of authorised bodies (see Rule 34 of the SRA Authorisation Rules).