SRA Standards and Regulations

Costs information

An authorised body, or an individual practising in the circumstances set out in regulation 10.2(b)(i) to (vii) of the SRA Authorisation of Individuals Regulations, who publishes as part of its usual business the availability of any of the services set out at rule 1.3 to individuals or at rule 1.4 to businesses, must, in relation to those services, publish on its website cost information in...

Complaints information

An authorised body, or an individual practising in the circumstances set out in regulation 10.2(b)(i) to (vii) of the SRA Authorisation of Individuals Regulations, must publish on its website details of its complaints handling procedure including, details about how and when a complaint can be made to the Legal Ombudsman and to the SRA.

Decisions to impose a financial penalty

An authorised decision maker may decide to direct the payment of a financial penalty under rule 3.1(b), where this is appropriate to: remove any financial or other benefit arising from the conduct; maintain professional standards; or uphold public confidence in the solicitors' profession and in legal services provided by authorised persons. Where the SRA recommends the imposition of a...

Evidential and procedural matters

The SRA may vary the procedure set out in these rules where it considers that it is in the interests of justice, or in the overriding public interest, to do so. A decision under rule 3 may be made by agreement between the relevant person and the SRA. Before reaching a decision under rule 3, an authorised decision maker or adjudication panel may give directions for the fair and effective...

Disclosure and publication

The SRA may disclose or publish any information arising from or relating to an investigation, either in an individual case or a class of case, where it considers it to be in the public interest to do so. The SRA shall publish any decision under rule 3.1 or 3.2, when the decision takes effect or at such later date as it may consider appropriate, unless it considers the particular circumstances...

Schedule 1

This schedule sets out the basis for calculating the charges payable under rule 10. The SRA will record the amount of time spent by the SRA or its agents in investigating the matter, including time spent on correspondence, evidence gathering and analysis, and report writing. The standard charges are as follows: Number of hours spent investigating matter Standard Charge Under 2...

Prescribed circumstances under Rule 5.1 (c)

You may withdraw residual client balances of £500 or less on any one client matter from a client account provided: the balance is paid to a charity of your choice you have taken reasonable steps to return the money to the rightful owner. The reasonableness of such steps will depend on: the age of the residual balance; the amount of the residual balance; if you have access to the client's...

Additional guidance

You may choose to pay the money to a charity that does not offer you an indemnity but if it does not, you will be liable to pay the money to the client if they contact you later to claim it. Some ways in which you may be able to trace your client include: making use of social media making a search of Companies House and/or the Probate Registry making use of the Department of Work and Pensions'...

Requirements for authorised training providers

An authorised training provider must: have in place a training principal for the whole duration of any period of recognised training, who meets the requirements of regulation 5 and whose identity has been notified to the SRA in the prescribed form; and pay the fees and expenses for each trainee's first attempt at the Professional Skills Course.

Higher rights of audience assessment providers

Only an organisation appointed by the SRA may provide assessments in higher courts civil advocacy and higher courts criminal advocacy conferring a higher courts advocacy qualification. The appointment assessment provider must pay to the SRA such fee as may be prescribed for each candidate undertaking the higher courts advocacy qualification. From 1 October 2025, only the appointed assessment...