SRA Standards and Regulations

Decisions to impose a financial penalty

An authorised decision maker may decide to direct the payment of a financial penalty under rule 3.1(b), where this is appropriate to: remove any financial or other benefit arising from the conduct; maintain professional standards; or uphold public confidence in the solicitors' profession and in legal services provided by authorised persons. Where the SRA recommends the imposition of a...

Disclosure and publication

The SRA may disclose or publish any information arising from or relating to an investigation, either in an individual case or a class of case, where it considers it to be in the public interest to do so. The SRA shall publish any decision under rule 3.1 or 3.2, when the decision takes effect or at such later date as it may consider appropriate, unless it considers the particular circumstances...

Decisions to disqualify a person

An authorised decision maker may decide to disqualify a person under rule 3.1(c) only where they are satisfied that it is undesirable for the person to engage in the relevant activity or activities.

Duration of authorisation

A body's authorisation takes effect from the date the certificate of authorisation is issued to it by the SRA. A body's authorisation shall cease to have effect: subject to Part 5, if the body ceases to exist; or if the body is a licensed body and is issued with a licence by another approved regulator. The SRA may revoke or suspend a body's authorisation, if: it is satisfied that the...

Conditions

The SRA may at any time, whether on grant of an application for authorisation or otherwise, impose such conditions on a body's authorisation (whether indefinite or for a specified period), where it considers it appropriate in the public interest to do so and in accordance with rules 3.2 and 3.3. The SRA may impose conditions under rule 3.1 if it is satisfied that the authorised body, or a...

Compliance officers

An authorised body must at all times have an individual who is designated as its COLP and an individual who is designated as its COFA, and whose designations the SRA has approved. Subject to rule 8.3, an individual who is designated under rule 8.1 must: be a manager or employee of the authorised body; consent to the designation; not be disqualified from acting as a HOLP or HOFA under section...

Restrictions on employment and remuneration of certain individuals

An authorised body must not employ or remunerate, or permit to be a manager, owner or interest holder of the body, a person: who is subject to an order under section 43 of the SA, without the SRA's written permission; whose name has been struck off the roll, or who is suspended from practising as a solicitor, without the SRA's written permission; in respect of whom there is a direction in...

Restrictions on services provided by a recognised body or recognised sole practice

If you are a recognised body or recognised sole practice, your business may consist only of the provision of: professional services of the sort provided by individuals practising as solicitors and/or lawyers of other jurisdictions; and the services set out in annex 2 (whether or not they are also included in paragraph (a)), and if you have a notary public as a manager or employee, then...

Information return and notification events

An authorised body must complete and deliver to the SRA an annual return by the date and in the form prescribed.

Payment of periodical fees

Every authorised body must pay to the SRA a periodical fee in the amount, and by the date prescribed.