SRA Standards and Regulations

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 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, defaulting RFL or defaulting RSL any of their employees or any fellow manager; in the case of a defaulting recognised body, any of its...

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...

Notice to defaulting practitioner

The SRA may not make a grant unless it has given not less than 8 days' notice to the defaulting practitioner informing them of the nature and value of the application, unless it appears to the SRA that it would not be reasonably practicable to give such notice, or the grant should be made urgently. Where the SRA has made a grant urgently in accordance with rule 16.1, the SRA shall as soon as,...

Recovery and subrogation

Where the SRA makes a grant otherwise than by way of loan or if by way of loan repayments of the loan is waived or otherwise the borrower has failed to repay part or all of the loan, the SRA shall be subrogated to the rights and remedies of the person to whom or on whose behalf the grant is made to the extent of the amount of the grant. Where rule 17.1 applies, the recipient must if required...

Refusal of an application

If the SRA refuses to make a grant of either the whole or part of the amount applied for, the applicant will be informed in writing of the reasons for the decision. The fact that an application has been rejected does not prevent a further application being submitted provided that material new relevant evidence or information is produced in support of the new application.

Authority

Deleted

Commencement and application

The Solicitors' Indemnity Rules 1987 as amended from time to time shall be further amended with effect from 1 October 2023 and shall continue in force thereafter in the form annexed hereto in which form they may be known as the SRA Indemnity Fund Rules. The Solicitors' Indemnity (Incorporated Practice) Rules 1991 as amended from time to time shall continue in force only in respect of the...

Applications

An application made under the SRA's regulatory arrangements must be made in writing, where appropriate, in the prescribed form correctly completed, and be accompanied by: any prescribed fee or charge; and any information and documents which may be prescribed, or reasonably requested by the SRA. If you make an application to the SRA, you do not need to submit all payments, information, and...

Firm authorisation

As set out in the SRA Authorisation of Firms Rules: A decision made under rule 2.2 to refuse authorisation. A decision made under rule 3.1 to impose conditions on authorisation. A decision to refuse approval for the taking of steps specified in conditions under rule 3.3(c). A decision under rule 4.3 or 4.4 to revoke or suspend a body's authorisation. A decision made under rule 12.1 to extend,...