SRA Standards and Regulations

Requirements for recognised training

A period of recognised training must: unless regulation 4.2 applies, be of a duration of a total of at least two years full time, or equivalent; ensure that the trainee has applied and developed the skills as set out in the Practice Skills Standards; be appropriately supervised by solicitors and other individuals who have adequate legal knowledge and experience in the practice area they are...

Training principals

The training principal for an authorised training provider must: be a solicitor holding a current practising certificate or be a practising barrister; notify the SRA in the prescribed form before any individual commences a period of recognised training or if this is not possible then as soon as practicable thereafter; ensure that the training provided meets the requirements of regulation...

Grants to defaulting practitioners

The SRA may make a grant to a defaulting practitioner who or which has suffered or is likely to suffer loss by reason of their liability to any client in direct consequence of an act or omission of: in the case of a defaulting solicitor, defaulting REL or defaulting RFL, any of their employees or any fellow manager; in the case of a defaulting recognised body, any of its employees or managers...

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 8.2 of the SRA Statutory Trust Rules.

Interest

In respect of any grants made under rules 3, 6 or 7 the SRA may make a supplementary grant by way of a sum in lieu of lost interest on the loss underlying the principal grant. Such interest will be calculated by the SRA in accordance with prescribed rates. Where the application for the principal grant is in respect of a failure to redeem a mortgage, the SRA may also make a grant in respect of...

Losses outside the remit of the Fund

For the avoidance of doubt, the SRA shall not make a grant in respect of losses that: arise solely by reason of professional negligence by a defaulting practitioner, or the employee or manager of a defaulting practitioner, save as provided for in rule 3.4; are indirect or consequential, save where a claim is made for costs of completing or remedying work for which the defaulting practitioner...

Apportionment and multi-party issues

Where the loss has been sustained as a result of the act or omission of more than one party, the SRA will consider the role of each party in contributing to the applicant's loss in deciding whether to make a grant and, if so, the amount of any grant. In the case of a defaulting licensed body, the SRA will consider the extent to which the loss is attributable to an act or omission which falls...

Disclosure and evidential requirements

Subject to rule 6.3 below, on making an application under any of the provisions set out in rule 1.1, you must disclose all matters, wherever they have taken place (including overseas), which are relevant to the SRA's assessment of your character and suitability, including, where practicable, any information set out in Table 4 which is relevant to the matter in question. On making an...

Compliance and business systems

You have effective governance structures, arrangements, systems and controls in place that ensure: you comply with all the SRA's regulatory arrangements, as well as with other regulatory and legislative requirements, which apply to you; your managers and employees comply with the SRA's regulatory arrangements which apply to them; your managers and interest holders and those you employ or...

Service and competence

You only act for clients on instructions from the client, or from someone properly authorised to provide instructions on their behalf. If you have reason to suspect that the instructions do not represent your client's wishes, you do not act unless you have satisfied yourself that they do. However, in circumstances where you have legal authority to act notwithstanding that it is not possible...