SRA Standards and Regulations

Compliance and business systems

You have effective governance structures, arrangements, systems and controls in place that ensure: you comply with all the SRA's regulatory arrangements, as well as with other regulatory and legislative requirements, which apply to you; your managers and employees comply with the SRA's regulatory arrangements which apply to them; your managers and interest holders and those you employ or...

Service and competence

You only act for clients on instructions from the client, or from someone properly authorised to provide instructions on their behalf. If you have reason to suspect that the instructions do not represent your client's wishes, you do not act unless you have satisfied yourself that they do. However, in circumstances where you have legal authority to act notwithstanding that it is not possible to...

Compliance officers

If you are a COLP you must take all reasonable steps to: ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of your firm's authorisation; ensure compliance by your firm and its managers, employees or interest holders with the SRA's regulatory arrangements which apply to them; ensure that your firm's managers and interest holders and those they employ or contract with do not cause or substantially...

Complaints handling

You ensure that, as appropriate in the circumstances, you either establish and maintain, or participate in, a procedure for handling complaints in relation to the legal services you provide. You ensure that clients are informed in writing at the time of engagement about: their right to complain to you about your services and your charges; how a complaint can be made and to whom; and any right...

Management, control, and supervision

Subject to rules 9.2 and 9.3, an authorised body must ensure that the SRA has approved any manager or owner of the authorised body under Part 4. A sole principal whose practice has been authorised as a recognised sole practice is not required to be approved separately as a manager of that practice. If the SRA is satisfied that a manager of an authorised body is not involved in any of the...

Scope of service

Where you propose, or give a client a personal recommendation for, a contract of insurance, then in good time before the conclusion of an initial contract of insurance and if necessary on its amendment or renewal, you must provide the client with information on whether you: give a personal recommendation on the basis of a fair and personal analysis; are under a contractual obligation to...

Firm authorisation

As set out in the SRA Authorisation of Firms Rules: A decision made under rule 2.2 to refuse authorisation. A decision made under rule 3.1 to impose conditions on authorisation. A decision to refuse approval for the taking of steps specified in conditions under rule 3.3(c). A decision under rule 4.3 or 4.4 to revoke or suspend a body's authorisation. A decision made under rule 12.1 to extend,...

Apprenticeships

To complete an apprenticeship for the purposes of regulation 3A.1(a)(i), you must meet the requirements set out in the assessment plan for the Apprenticeship Standard for a Solicitor (England) approved by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, or set out in the Apprenticeship Framework specified in the Level 7 Higher Apprenticeship in Legal Practice (Wales). This must include...

Higher rights of audience

If you are a solicitor or an REL you may exercise civil or criminal advocacy in the higher courts if the SRA is satisfied you have successfully and satisfactorily completed the appropriate higher courts advocacy qualification and that you have done so after the date of your admission as a solicitor or initial registration as an REL, or you are: an REL or lawyer to whom the European Union...

Demands and needs

Prior to the conclusion of a contract of insurance, you must specify on the basis of information obtained from the client, the demands and needs of that client. The details must be adapted according to the complexity of the contract of insurance proposed and the individual circumstances of the client. You must give the client a statement of the client's demands and needs prior to the...