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Law Society Publishing was published in October 2011 the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Handbook, a book which “sets out the standards and requirements we (SRA) expect our regulated community to achieve and observe, for the benefit of the clients they serve and in the public interest.”

As they announced, the Legal Services Board approved the Handbook on 17 June 2011 and the implementation date was 6 October 2011.

The main chapters are as following:

• Principles;

These are mandatory Principles which apply to all. You must:

• 1. uphold the rule of law and the proper administration of justice;
• 2. act with integrity;
• 3. not allow your independence to be compromised;
• 4. act in the best interests of each client;
• 5. provide a proper standard of service to your clients;
• 6. behave in a way that maintains the trust the public places in you and in the provision of legal services;
• 7. comply with your legal and regulatory obligations and deal with your regulators and ombudsmen in an open, timely and co-operative manner;
• 8. run your business or carry out your role in the business effectively and in accordance with proper governance and sound financial and risk management principles;
• 9. run your business or carry out your role in the business in a way that encourages equality of opportunity and respect for diversity; and
• 10. protect client money and assets.
• SRA Code of Conduct;

The Code is divided into 5 sections:

• You and your client
• You and your business
• You and your regulator
• You and others
• Application, waivers and interpretation

Each section is divided into chapters dealing with particular regulatory issues, for example, client care, conflicts of interests, and publicity. These chapters show how the Principles apply in certain contexts through mandatory and non-mandatory provisions.

• SRA Accounts Rules;

The Principles set out in the Handbook apply to all aspects of practice, including the handling of client money. Those which are particularly relevant to these rules are that you must:

• protect client money and assets;
• act with integrity;
• behave in a way that maintains the trust the public places in you and in the provision of legal services;
• comply with your legal and regulatory obligations and deal with your regulators and ombudsmen in an open, timely and co-operative manner; and
• run your business or carry out your role in the business effectively and in accordance with proper governance and sound financial and risk management principles.
• Authorisation and Practising Requirements;
• Client Protection;
• Discipline and Costs Recovery;
• Specialist Services.

The book is focusing on solicitors new regulations and remains a must-read book for legal practitioners as also for the law students.

Book: Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Handbook 2011. Source: www.sra.org.uk

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