SRA Standards and Regulations

Defaulting practitioners

A defaulting practitioner means: a solicitor, an REL or an RSL who at the date of the relevant act or omission was: practising in an authorised body; or practising in a non-commercial body; a solicitor or an REL who at the date of the relevant act or omission: was self-employed and practising in their own name, and not through a trading name or service company; did not employ anyone in...

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...

Maintaining trust and acting fairly

You do not unfairly discriminate by allowing your personal views to affect your professional relationships and the way in which you provide your services. You do not abuse your position by taking unfair advantage of clients or others. You perform all undertakings given by you, and do so within an agreed timescale or if no timescale has been agreed then within a reasonable amount of time. You...

Dispute resolution and proceedings before courts, tribunals and inquiries

You do not misuse or tamper with evidence or attempt to do so. You do not seek to influence the substance of evidence, including generating false evidence or persuading witnesses to change their evidence. You do not provide or offer to provide any benefit to witnesses dependent upon the nature of their evidence or the outcome of the case. You only make assertions or put forward statements,...

Appeals to the High Court or Tribunal

Unless otherwise provided in the relevant statute, or rules of the Tribunal, court or of the Legal Services Board, any appeal to the High Court or Tribunal against a decision set out in annex 2 or 3, as appropriate, must be commenced within the period of 28 days from the date of notification of the decision that is subject to appeal.

Individual Authorisation

As set out in the SRA Authorisation of Individuals Regulations: A decision made under regulation 3E.2(a) to refuse to recognise all or part of a period of recognised training. A decision made under regulation 4.1 to refuse an application for admission as a solicitor made under Part V of the European Communities (Lawyer's Practice) Regulations 2000. A decision made under regulation 5.1 to...

Appeals to the High Court or Tribunal

Unless otherwise provided in the relevant statute, or rules of the Tribunal, court or of the Legal Services Board, any appeal to the High Court or Tribunal against a decision set out in annex 2 or 3, as appropriate, must be commenced within the period of 28 days from the date of notification of the decision that is subject to appeal.

Firm authorisation

As set out in the SRA Authorisation of Firms Rules: A decision made under rule 2.2 to refuse authorisation of a recognised body or recognised sole practice. A decision made under rule 4.3 to revoke or suspend authorisation of a recognised body or recognised sole practice. A decision made under 3.1 to impose conditions on authorisation of a recognised body or recognised sole practice. A...

Miscellaneous

A decision made under the SRA Compensation Fund Rules 2019 or the SRA Compensation Fund Rules 2021 not to make a grant of the whole or part of the amount applied for from the Fund. Any decisions in respect of which there is a right of external appeal as set out in annex 2 or 3, that are not covered above.