SRA Standards and Regulations

Cooperation and accountability

You keep up to date with and follow the law and regulation governing the way you work. You are able to justify your decisions and actions in order to demonstrate compliance with your obligations under the SRA's regulatory arrangements. You cooperate with the SRA, other regulators, ombudsmen, and those bodies with a role overseeing and supervising the delivery of, or investigating concerns in...

Applications

An application made under the SRA's regulatory arrangements must be made in writing, where appropriate, in the prescribed form correctly completed, and be accompanied by: any prescribed fee or charge; and any information and documents which may be prescribed, or reasonably requested by the SRA. If you make an application to the SRA, you do not need to submit all payments, information, and...

Decisions on review

A review will usually be determined by an authorised decision maker on consideration of written evidence alone. An adjudicator may at their sole discretion invite the relevant person to be interviewed by an authorised decision maker accompanied by their representative (if any). Subject to rule 4.3, on a review (save for a review of a decision made under rule 3.1(h) of the SRA Regulatory and...

SRA Principles

You act: in a way that upholds the constitutional principle of the rule of law, and the proper administration of justice. in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in the solicitors' profession and in legal services provided by authorised persons. with independence. with honesty. with integrity. in a way that encourages equality, diversity and inclusion. in the best interests of each...

Other business requirements

You must not be a manager, employee, member or interest holder of a business that: has a name which includes the word "solicitors"; or describes its work in a way that suggests it is a solicitors' firm; unless it is an authorised body. If you are a solicitor who holds a practising certificate, an REL, RFL or RSL, you must complete and deliver to the SRA an annual return in the prescribed form....

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...

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...

Power to conduct a review

The SRA may: where an administrative error in, or in relation to any decision comes to the SRA's attention, correct the error without the need to undergo a review under this Part; review all or part of any regulatory decision reached by it, of its own initiative, under this Part. Subject to rule 3.3, the SRA may review all or part of any of the regulatory decisions set out in annex 1 on the...

Decisions on review

A review will usually be determined by an authorised decision maker on consideration of written evidence alone. An adjudicator may at their sole discretion invite the relevant person to be interviewed by an authorised decision maker accompanied by their representative (if any). Subject to rule 4.3, on a review (save for a review of a decision made under rule 3.1(h) of the SRA Regulatory and...

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.