SRA Standards and Regulations

Notice to defaulting practitioner

The SRA may not make a grant unless it has given not less than 8 days' notice to the defaulting practitioner informing them of the nature and value of the application, unless it appears to the SRA that it would not be reasonably practicable to give such notice, or the grant should be made urgently. Where the SRA has made a grant urgently in accordance with rule 16.1, the SRA shall as soon as,...

Refusal of an application

If the SRA refuses to make a grant of either the whole or part of the amount applied for, the applicant will be informed in writing of the reasons for the decision. The fact that an application has been rejected does not prevent a further application being submitted provided that material new relevant evidence or information is produced in support of the new application.

Eligibility

You will be eligible to apply for authorisation: as a licensed body, if you are a licensable body and have at least one manager that is an authorised person (other than a licensed body); as a recognised body, if you are a legal services body in which all of the managers and interest holders are legally qualified; or as a recognised sole practice, if you are a solicitor or an REL who is the...

Authorisation decision

The SRA may grant an application for authorisation in relation to one or more reserved legal activity. The SRA will refuse an application for authorisation if it is not satisfied that, if authorisation is granted: the applicant's managers, interest holders or management and governance arrangements are suitable to operate or control a business providing regulated legal services; the applicant...

Effect of authorisation

If you are a recognised body or a recognised sole practice authorised by the SRA you are entitled to carry on: all reserved legal activities except notarial activities; and immigration work. If you are a licensed body you are entitled to carry on the activities set out in rule 5.1, in accordance with the terms of your licence. An authorised body may only carry on a reserved legal activity...

Fixed financial penalties

Where the SRA has evidence that a relevant person has committed one or more of the breaches listed in rule 11.2, it may notify them and will: set out the allegation and the facts in support, accompanied by any evidence or documentation that the SRA considers to be relevant to the allegation; require the relevant person to remedy any specified breaches and provide evidence of the action taken...

Applications for termination of certain orders

Where a person has been: disqualified from acting as a HOLP or HOFA, or a manager or employee of a body licensed under the LSA; made subject by the SRA to an order under section 43(2) of the SA; or made subject by the SRA to an order suspending their practising certificate or registration in the register of European lawyers or the register of foreign lawyers, where there has been a material...

Schedule 1

This schedule sets out the basis for calculating the charges payable under rule 10. The SRA will record the amount of time spent by the SRA or its agents in investigating the matter, including time spent on correspondence, evidence gathering and analysis, and report writing. The standard charges are as follows: Number of hours spent investigating matter Standard Charge Under 2 hours £300 2...

Applications to the tribunal

An authorised decision maker may decide to make an application to the Tribunal in respect of a firm or an individual under rule 3.1(g) only where they are satisfied that: there is a realistic prospect of the Tribunal making an order in respect of the allegation; and it is in the public interest to make the application. Where an authorised decision maker has made an application to the Tribunal,...

Costs

An authorised decision maker may require a person who is the subject of a decision under rule 3.1(a) to (f) to pay a charge in accordance with Schedule 1 to these rules. The authorised decision maker may decide to charge less than the amount that would be payable in accordance with Schedule 1 if they consider that it would be just in all the circumstances to do so. Any charge must be paid by...