Sole practitioner

A sole practitioner (UK) usually refers to either;

SRA regulated sole practitioners do not include the following lawyers, who may also work alone or as a sole lawyer with an organisation:

The above lawyers may also practice law and provide legal services alone subject to their specific regulators requirements, rules and any authorisation processes. For example, CILEx publish guidance and rules that apply to qualified Legal Executives who provide legal services alone.[7]

A sole practitioner would most likely be a sole trader under UK law, meaning that the lawyer is self employed and would run the business as an individual, paying income tax on profits.[8]

As of 25 May 2016, solicitor sole practitioners are regulated under rule 10 of the SRA's handbook, which provides that subject to specific exceptions, regulated lawyers cannot set up their own law practice and provide legal services as a sole practitioner unless they have applied for and gained authorisation to do so from the SRA.[9]

Authorised sole practitioner law practices, known as "recognised sole practices" are recognised and authorised separately by the SRA from regulated Partnership and Company legal service structures. [10]

Sole practitioners are required to provide information on their website and on their engagement letters which clearly identifies who authorises and regulates their service, and their authorisation or professional identification number which can be checked with their regulator.[11]

See also

References

  1. "Sole practitioners". www.sra.org.uk. Solicitors Regulation Authority. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  2. "SRA Handbook Glossary". www.sra.org.uk. Solicitors Regulation Authority. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  3. "Bar Standards Board". https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/. Bar Standards Board. Retrieved 25 May 2016. External link in |website= (help)
  4. "The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives". http://www.cilex.org.uk/. The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. Retrieved 25 May 2016. External link in |website= (help)
  5. "Office of the Immigration Service Commissioner". www.gov.uk. The UK Government. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  6. "The Insolvency Service". www.gov.uk. The UK Government. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  7. "The Start Up Guide" (PDF). www.cilex.org. The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  8. "Choose a legal structure for your business". www.gov.uk. UK Government. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  9. "The SRA Handbook, Rule 10: sole practitioners". www.sra.org.uk. The Solicitors Regulation Authority. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  10. "SRA Handbook Glossary". www.sra.org.uk. Solicitors Regulation Authority. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  11. "Who and What is a "Sole Practitioner"?". www.lawpracticemanager.co.uk. Martyn Benjamin Williams. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
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