SRA Standards and Regulations

Immigration work

Subject to regulation 9.7, if you are a solicitor, an REL, RFL or RSL you may undertake immigration work, provided that such work is undertaken: through an authorised body; through an authorised non-SRA firm that is a qualified person under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; as an employee, for your employer or work colleagues; or through a non-commercial advice service which is registered...

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...

Reserved legal activities

Subject to regulations 9.2, 9.3, 9.5 to 9.10 and 10.2(b), if you are a solicitor with a current practising certificate, or an REL, you are entitled to carry on all reserved legal activities except notarial activities. If you are an REL you may only exercise a right of audience before a court, conduct litigation or prepare court documents, in conjunction with a solicitor or barrister who is...

Immigration work

Subject to regulation 9.7, if you are a solicitor, an REL, RFL or RSL you may undertake immigration work, provided that such work is undertaken: through an authorised body; through an authorised non-SRA firm that is a qualified person under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; as an employee, for your employer or work colleagues; or through a non-commercial advice service which is registered...

Records of transactions

Where you receive instructions from a client to effect a transaction, or make a decision to effect a transaction in your discretion, you must keep a record of: the name of the client; the terms of the instructions or decision; and in the case of instructions, the date on which they were received. Where you give instructions to another person to effect a transaction, you must keep a record of:...

Professional and organisational requirements

You must ensure that: the firm and each relevant employee possesses appropriate knowledge and ability in order to complete their tasks and perform duties adequately; and that all the persons in its management structure and any staff directly involved in insurance distribution activities are of good repute. In considering a person's good repute, you must as a minimum ensure that the person: has...

Communication and disclosure

You must ensure that, in relation to insurance distribution: you communicate all information, including marketing communications, in a way that is clear, fair and not misleading. your marketing communications are always clearly identifiable as such.

Means of communication to clients

Rule 18 applies to all information required to be provided to a client in this Part. You must communicate information to the client on paper or using any of the following means: a durable medium other than paper where the following conditions are satisfied: the use of a durable medium other than paper is appropriate in the context of the business conducted between the firm and the client; and...

Professional and organisational requirements

You must ensure that: the firm and each relevant employee possesses appropriate knowledge and ability in order to complete their tasks and perform duties adequately; and that all the persons in its management structure and any staff directly involved in insurance distribution activities are of good repute. In considering a person's good repute, you must as a minimum ensure that the person: has...

Safekeeping of clients' investments

Where you undertake the regulated financial services activity of safeguarding and administering investments, you must operate appropriate systems, including the keeping of appropriate records, which provide for the safekeeping of assets entrusted to you by clients and others. Where such assets are passed to a third party: you should obtain an acknowledgement of receipt of the property; and if...