SRA Standards and Regulations

Other conduct and behaviour

Table 2 sets out non-exhaustive examples of the types of conduct or behaviour that the SRA will take into account when assessing your character and suitability. Table 2: Other conduct and behaviour Type of behaviour Examples Integrity and independence You have behaved in a way: which is dishonest; which is violent; which is threatening or harassing; where there is evidence of discrimination...

Criminal conduct

The SRA will consider criminal conduct when assessing your character and suitability, in accordance with Table 1 below, subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions Order) 1975 and bearing in mind the public interest in supporting the rehabilitation of offenders. For the avoidance of doubt, Table 1 is a non-exhaustive list. Table...

Confidentiality and disclosure

You keep the affairs of current and former clients confidential unless disclosure is required or permitted by law or the client consents. Where you are acting for a client on a matter, you make the client aware of all information material to the matter of which you have knowledge, except when: the disclosure of the information is prohibited by legal restrictions imposed in the interests of...

Applicable standards in the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs

The following paragraphs in the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs apply to you in their entirety as though references to "you" were references to you as a firm: dispute resolution and proceedings before courts, tribunals and inquiries (2.1 to 2.7); referrals, introductions and separate businesses (5.1 to 5.3); and standards which apply when providing services to the public or a...

Client money and assets

You properly account to clients for any financial benefit you receive as a result of their instructions, except where they have agreed otherwise. You safeguard money and assets entrusted to you by clients and others. You do not personally hold client money save as permitted under regulation 10.2(b)(vii) of the Authorisation of Individuals Regulations, unless you work in an authorised body, or...

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...

Compliance officers

An authorised body must at all times have an individual who is designated as its COLP and an individual who is designated as its COFA, and whose designations the SRA has approved. Subject to rule 8.3, an individual who is designated under rule 8.1 must: be a manager or employee of the authorised body; consent to the designation; not be disqualified from acting as a HOLP or HOFA under section...

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...

Annex 2: Professional services

The professional services referred to in rule 6.1(b) are: Alternative dispute resolution. Financial services. Estate agency. Management consultancy. Company secretarial services. Other professional and specialist business support services including human resources, recruitment, systems support, outsourcing, transcription and translating. Acting as a parliamentary agent. Practising as a lawyer...

Foreign lawyers

The SRA shall not make a grant in respect of any act or omission of an REL, or the employee of an REL, where such act or omission took place outside the UK, unless the SRA is satisfied that the act or omission was, or was closely connected with, the act or omission of a solicitor or the employee of a solicitor, or that the act or omission was closely connected with the REL's practice in the...