Solicitors’ codes and rules

Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and are by far the most regulated of the legal professions being subject to a considerable number of separate regulatory provisions dealing with their practice as a solicitor, their training, their approach to clients, conflict, accounts, professional indemnity and much more.

Much of the regulation of solicitors is derived principally from statute, including:

• The Solicitors Act 1974
• The Administration of Justice Act 1985
• The Courts and Legal Services Act 1990

and most recently

• The Legal Services Act 2007

However, much is contained in regulations and rules, many of which have the power of subordinate legislation, the principal of these being:

• The Solicitors’ Code of Conduct 2007 (as amended),
• The SRA Recognised Bodies Regulations 2009, and
• The Solicitors’ Accounts Rules 1998 (as amended),

In addition, however, there are also a wide range of other rules, regulations, decisions, orders and legislation dealing with all aspects of a solicitor’s practice, including:

Financial Services

• The Solicitors’ Financial Services (Scope) Rules 2001
• The Solicitors’ Financial Services (Conduct of Business) Rules 2001

Indemnity Insurance

• The Solicitors’ Indemnity Rules
• Solicitors’ Indemnity Insurance Rules

Qualification

• The Solicitors’ Training Regulations 2009
• The Qualified Lawyers Transfer Regulations 2009
• The Solicitors’ Admission Regulations 2009
• The Higher Courts Qualification Regulations 2000

Practice

• The SRA Practising Regulations 2009
• Practising Certificate Fee Order and Regulations 2008

Compensation fund

• The Solicitors’ Compensation Fund Rules 2009
• The Solicitors Compensation Fund (Foreign Lawyers Contribution) Rules 1991

Registered European lawyers

• The Establishment of Lawyers Directive 98/5/EC
• The European Communities (Lawyers Practise) Regulations 2000
• The European Lawyers Registration Regulations 2000
• The Council resolution of 13 April 2000 (calculation of Compensation Fund contributions)
• The Council resolution of 13 April 2000 (calculation of registration fees)

Registered foreign lawyers

• The Foreign Lawyers Registration Regulations 1995

Others

• The SRA (Cost of Investigations) Regulations 2009
• The Solicitors (Keeping of the Roll) Regulations 1999

Most of the regulatory provisions can be found on the Solicitors Regulation Authority web site at www.sra.org.uk whilst the legislative provisions can be found at the Office of Public Sector Information web site the Statute Law Database. Many of the proivisions are, however, looked at in more detail elewhere on this web site.