RF1 notes part I

I. Reduced fees

Reduced practising certificate/registration fees for solicitors/RELs/RFLs

Include details of any solicitors, RELS and RFLs who are eligible for reduced practising certificate/registration fees. The compensation fund contribution remains unchanged. Reduced fees are available to solicitors, RELs and RFLs in the categories listed below:

Category A

Solicitors/RELs who are Crown Prosecutors in the Crown Prosecution Service. Please note this category is not applicable to RFLs.

Category B

Any solicitor /REL/RFL who has previously held a practising certificate /registration and whose gross fees or gross income from the provision of legal services has not exceeded £20,000 during the 12-month period prior to the date of this application.

Category C

Any solicitor /REL/RFL applying for their first practising certificate /registration to start on or after 1 November 2009 (If you are a solicitor admitted, or REL/RFL who first registered, at any time between 1 November 2008 and 31 October 2009 and are employed in private practice in the provision of legal services before 1 November 2009, you are required to hold a practising certificate/registration for the practising year ending 31 October 2009.)

Category D

Any solicitor /REL/RFL who is on statutory maternity leave or a period of leave equivalent to statutory maternity leave at the time of applying for renewal of their practising certificate /registration.

Category E

Any solicitor /REL/RFL whose maternity leave or period of leave equivalent to statutory maternity leave started and ended within the practising year 1 November 2008 to 31 October 2009.

A "period of leave equivalent to statutory maternity leave" is a period of absence or leave which, if the individual had been an employee, would have been taken as statutory maternity leave.

If at any time during the 12-month period an individual was practising both as a solicitor and as a lawyer of another jurisdiction, all their fees or income received as a lawyer must be taken into account. If the total of the gross fees or gross income exceeds £20,000, they do not qualify for a reduced practising certificate fee.

If at any time during the 12-month period an REL or RFL practised as an REL or RFL, respectively, and as a lawyer of another jurisdiction, all their fees or income received as a lawyer must be taken into account. If the total of the gross fees or gross income exceeds £20,000, they do not qualify for a reduced registration fee.

For the fees payable by solicitors/RELs/RFLs eligible for a reduced practising certificate/registration fee, see our fee table.