The SRA Handbook is no longer in effect. It was replaced by the SRA Standards and Regulations on 25 November 2019.

SRA Handbook

Responsibility

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Version 19 of the Handbook was published on 01/10/2017. For more information, please click 'History' Above

Rule 5: Responsibility

5.1

Each firm carrying on a practice on or after 1 October 2013, and any person who is a principal of such a firm, must ensure that the firm takes out and maintains qualifying insurance at all times.

Commentary:

Note that the duty to ensure that qualifying insurance is in place rests not just on the firm as a whole, but also on every principal within that firm.

5.2

Each firm that has been unable to obtain a policy of qualifying insurance prior to the expiration of the extended indemnity period, and any person who is a principal of such a firm, must ensure that the firm, and each principal or employee of such firm, undertakes no activities in connection with private legal practice and accepts no instructions in respect of any such activities during the cessation period save to the extent that the activity in connection with private legal practice is undertaken to discharge its obligations within the scope of the firm's existing instructions or is necessary in connection with the discharge of such obligations.