SRA Standards and Regulations

Operation of joint accounts

If, when acting in a client's matter, you hold or receive money jointly with the client or a third party, Part 2 of these rules does not apply save for: rule 8.2 - statements from banks, building societies and other financial institutions; rule 8.4 - bills and notifications of costs.

Capping payments of multiple applications

Where multiple applications are made to the Fund: that relate to the same or connected underlying circumstances; and the SRA is satisfied that the total amount of the grants made from the Fund in respect of such applications is likely to exceed £5 million, the SRA may impose a limit on the total amount to be paid in respect of those applications of £5 million. Where the SRA imposes a limit...

Residual discretion and fund of last resort

The Fund is a discretionary fund of last resort and no person has a right to a grant enforceable at law. The SRA retains a discretion to refuse to consider an application or to make a grant notwithstanding that the conditions in these rules for making a grant are satisfied. The circumstances in which the residual discretion in rule 2.1 may be exercised include, but are not limited to,...

Maintenance of and contributions to the Fund

The SRA shall establish and maintain a fund for making grants in respect of applications made in accordance with these rules. Solicitors, RELs, RFLs, RSLs recognised bodies and licensed bodies must make contributions to the Fund in such amounts and at such times as may be prescribed. Any unpaid contributions may be recovered as a debt due to the SRA. The SRA may at any time: borrow for the...

Grants in respect of statutory trusts

The SRA may make a grant to alleviate a deficiency in a statutory trust held by the SRA. The SRA may make a grant to a person where the money would have been due to that person but for their claim having been extinguished under rule 9.2 of the SRA Intervention Powers (Statutory Trust) Rules 2011 or rule 8.2 of the SRA Statutory Trust Rules.

Application

These rules apply to authorised bodies and their principals.

Authority

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Payment of interest

You account to clients or third parties for a fair sum of interest on any client money held by you on their behalf. You may by a written agreement come to a different arrangement with the client or the third party for whom the money is held as to the payment of interest, but you must provide sufficient information to enable them to give informed consent.

Client accounting systems and controls

You keep and maintain accurate, contemporaneous, and chronological records to: record in client ledgers identified by the client's name and an appropriate description of the matter to which they relate: all receipts and payments which are client money on the client side of the client ledger account; all receipts and payments which are not client money and bills of costs including transactions...

Application section

These rules apply to authorised bodies, their managers and employees and references to "you" in these rules should be read accordingly. The authorised body's managers are jointly and severally responsible for compliance by the authorised body, its managers and employees with these rules. In relation to a licensed body, the rules apply only in respect of activities regulated by the SRA in...