mySRA updates

Annual enquiry to stay on the roll of solicitors

Each year, we send an annual enquiry to all solicitors who do not hold a practising certificate, asking if they wish to keep their name on the roll of solicitors under the Solicitors Keeping of the Roll Regulations.

The keeping of the roll exercise for 2013 began on Tuesday, 16 April. You will need to have completed your application and paid your fee by close of business on Tuesday, 18 June.

Your name may be removed from the roll of solicitors if you do not meet this date.

We have been making our applications and services available online over the past two years, and if you would like your name kept on the roll of solicitors for the year 2013, you will need to

• access your mySRA account,
• complete an online application, and
• make payment online, by debit or credit card.

No fee is payable under regulation 6 of the Keeping of the Roll Regulations (2011) by a solicitor whose name has been on the roll for 50 years or more.

If you have not yet activated your mySRA account online, then you need to do so as soon as possible in order to keep your name on the roll.

Our user guide will help you with using mySRA. If you have activated your mySRA account but have forgotten your username or password, the user guide provides information on how to access these. Also see our FAQs about keeping of the roll.

If you wish to have your name removed from the roll, or want to be restored to the roll, you will need to do this using mySRA.

We hold the names of all solicitors together with the details of their last notified address. It is important for the SRA to hold up-to-date contact details for you. Therefore, if your details have changed, please log in to mySRA and update them.

At the start of this year's annual enquiry, we did not have current contact details for a number of solicitors. A list of those solicitors can be found under Solicitors for whom we have no current address.

On 10 April, we communicated with every individual eligible to apply to stay on the roll in 2013 for whom we held contact details. A number of communications failed to deliver to the recipient. These individuals have now also been added to this list.

If your name appears on this list and you wish to retain your name on the roll of solicitors,

• Please activate your mySRA account if you have not already done so.
• Contact us if you experience any difficulties.
• Log in to mySRA, and complete the annual enquiry to stay on the roll.

If you know of someone who wishes to have their name on the roll and whose name appears on the list, please ask them to contact us.

Who may stay on the roll?

Any solicitor who does not hold a practising certificate may stay on the roll.

Any solicitor who holds an exemption from holding a practising certificate must stay on the roll.

The Solicitors Act 1974 requires practising solicitors to have a practising certificate. The SRA Handbook sets out what we regard as "practising".

Removal from the roll

There is the option to remove your name from the roll as part of the annual keeping of the roll exercise, which commenced on 16 April 2013. You can also request that your name is removed from the roll at any other time of the year.

If you wish to remove your name from the roll, please log in to mySRA and complete the application to remove your name from the roll.

For help, including instructions for recovering usernames and passwords, please see our user guide.

Restoration to the roll

If your name has been removed from the roll of solicitors, you may apply for your name to be restored to the roll under regulation 8 of the Solicitors Keeping of the Roll Regulations, by logging in to mySRA and completing the application for restoration to the roll.

For help, including instructions for recovering usernames and passwords, please see our user guide.

If you have any queries, please contact us.