SRA Standards and Regulations

Client identification

You identify who you are acting for in relation to any matter.

Eligibility for admission

You will be eligible for admission as a solicitor if the SRA is satisfied: you have successfully and satisfactorily passed an assessment which is designed to assess your competence against the prescribed competences for solicitors and is conducted by an assessment organisation appointed by the SRA for the purpose; you hold a degree or qualifications or experience which the SRA is satisfied are...

Eligibility for admission of qualified lawyers

You will be eligible for admission as a solicitor if the SRA is satisfied: you hold a legal professional qualification that is recognised by the SRA, which confers rights to practise in England and Wales or in an overseas jurisdiction; and subject to regulation 3.2, you meet the criteria in regulation 1.1(a), (b),(d) and (e). Subject to regulation 3.3, if you hold a qualification recognised...

Apprenticeships

To complete an apprenticeship for the purposes of regulation 3A.1(a)(i), you must meet the requirements set out in the assessment plan for the Apprenticeship Standard for a Solicitor (England) approved by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, or set out in the Apprenticeship Framework specified in the Level 7 Higher Apprenticeship in Legal Practice (Wales). This must include...

Recognition of Professional Qualifications and Implementation of International Recognition Agreements (Amendment) Regulations 2023

If you are a Swiss lawyer, you will be eligible for admission as a solicitor under Part 2 of The Recognition of Professional Qualifications and Implementation of International Recognition Agreements (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (as amended) if: you satisfy the requirements of those regulations; and the SRA is satisfied as to your character and suitability to be a solicitor.

Determination of applications

If the SRA considers it to be in the public interest to do so, it must: refuse your application for a practising certificate, or your application for registration or renewal of registration, in the register of European lawyers, the register of foreign lawyers, or the register of Swiss lawyers; or at any time, whether on grant of such an application or at the end of a period of suspension of a...

Commencement, replacement, and renewal

The commencement date for a practising certificate or for registration in the register of European lawyers, the register of foreign lawyers or the register of Swiss lawyers shall be the date specified by the SRA on the practising certificate or the register. The replacement date for a practising certificate is 31 October following the issue of the certificate. The renewal date for registration...

Regulated claims management activities

If you are a solicitor, an REL, RFL or RSL you may carry on regulated claims management activities or activities that would be regulated claims management activities but for the exclusion in article 89N of the Regulated Activities Order, provided that such work is undertaken through: a body authorised to carry on reserved legal activities; or if the work does not comprise reserved legal...

Financial services activities

If you are a solicitor, an REL RFL or RSL you may carry on regulated financial services activities under the SRA Financial Services (Scope) Rules, provided that such activities are undertaken through an authorised body.

Practising on your own

Subject to regulation 10.2, if you are a solicitor or an REL you must not act as a sole practitioner unless your practice is authorised as a recognised sole practice. If you otherwise would be, you will not be regarded as acting as a sole practitioner and you will not therefore need to be authorised as a recognised sole practice if: your practice consists entirely of carrying on activities...