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Featured Practice Compliance content

Facilitation payments under the Bribery Act 2010

Facilitating the performance of a duty by public officialsFacilitation payments, also known as facilitating or grease payments, are generally small...

What is a solicitor's undertaking?

An undertaking is a commitment by a solicitor to do something. It can be enforced against the solicitor by the courts. Failure to comply with an...

Active bribery, passive bribery and bribing foreign public officials

The purpose of this Practice Note is to provide a general understanding of the offences under section 1, 2 and 6 of the Bribery Act 2010 (BA 2010). It...

High-risk third countries tracker

This Practice Note lists high-risk third countries identified by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), HM Treasury and the European Commission as...

Precedents

Modern slavery: contract clauses

1DefinitionsModern Slavery Policy•means the Customer's anti-slavery and human trafficking policy as set out in Schedule [insert] as updated by the...

9th Nov

In-house

Practice notes

AML and counter-terrorist financing—source of funds

Source of funds and wealth was a key focus of the SRA’s Preventing Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism thematic review, published in March...

9th Nov

In-house

Practice notes

Introduction to retained EU law

This Practice Note provides an introduction to retained EU law, which is an entirely new legal concept introduced to UK domestic law in preparation...

9th Nov

Brexit

Precedents

Standard contractual clauses—set II—controller to controller (Model Clauses)

DRAFTING FOR BREXIT: For the latest information on the impact of Brexit on the drafting, negotiation and enforceability of this Precedent, see...

9th Nov

Precedents

Anti-bribery and corruption for law firms—post-training assessment questions

How to use this testThese questions are designed to test your understanding after your attendance at our training on avoiding bribery and...

9th Nov

Practice notes

Compliance officer for legal practice—COLP—title and duties 2011 [Archived]

The compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) sits at the heart of the firm's regulatory arrangements. This does not mean that the firm and its...

9th Nov

Most recent Authorisation & regulation content

Practice notes

Coronavirus (COVID-19)—guidance for law firms

This Practice Note reflects advice, guidance and updates issued by the SRA and Law Society on the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on the...

18th Nov

COVID-19

Q&As

Can I still practice EU law if the UK is no longer in the EU?

Only lawyers qualified in an EU Member State are able to practise EU law or argue before EU tribunals such as the Court of Justice of the European...

18th Nov

Brexit

Practice notes

Relationship between legal regulators

There are six main regulatory bodies concerned specifically with the regulation of solicitors’ practices. These are the:•Legal Services Board...

27th Oct

Practice notes

Solicitors Regulation Authority

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is the independent regulatory arm of the Law Society. It regulates:•individual solicitors, registered...

27th Oct

Practice notes

Legal Services Board

The Legal Services Board (LSB) is the single independent oversight regulator of the legal profession and sector in England and Wales. It does not...

27th Oct

Practice notes

Other regulatory bodies—regulation of solicitors

The solicitors’ profession is highly regulated. As well as the primary legal regulators, such as the Legal Services Board (LSB) and Solicitors...

23rd Oct

Practice notes

SRA regulatory regime—from 2019

The way the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) regulates the solicitors’ profession has been evolving since its inception—from a prescriptive...

8th Oct

Precedents

Deed of indemnity—compliance officer for finance and administration (COFA)

This Deed is made on [insert date]Parties1[The persons whose names and addresses are set out in the Schedule (each a Partner and together...

30th Sep

Precedents

Compliance officer for legal practice—COLP—job description and role profile—2019

1Compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) detailsName of firm[Insert firm name]Name of COLP[Insert name]Reports to[Insert name]Full time/part...

30th Sep

Precedents

Compliance officer for finance and administration—COFA—job description and role profile—2019

1Compliance officer for finance and administration (COFA) detailsName of firm[Insert firm name]Name of COFA[Insert name]Reports to[Insert name]Full...

30th Sep

Precedents

Deed of indemnity—compliance officer for legal practice (COLP)

This Deed is made on [insert date]Parties1[The persons whose names and addresses are set out in the Schedule (each a Partner and together...

30th Sep

Q&As

Do the SRA’s proposed changes to the Handbook mean that in-house lawyers risk losing legal professional privilege (LPP) for advice to their internal client/employer?

Our understanding is that whether legal professional privilege (LPP) is available is a matter of common law. We do not understand the SRA’s proposals...

28th Sep

Q&As

Do the SRA Codes of Conduct 2019 apply to law firm employees?

The firm’s COLP and COFA are required to ensure compliance by the firm and its managers, employees or interest holders with the SRA’s regulatory...

28th Sep

Q&As

Can we have a COLP who works part-time?

All firms must have a compliance officer for legal practice (COLP), authorised by the SRA. This Q&A explains whether your COLP has to be full-time or...

28th Sep

Q&As

What is the role of the FCA compliance officer?

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the single statutory regulator of the financial services industry in the UK, it is operationally independent...

28th Sep

Practice notes

Looking to the future: Phase 2 of the SRA’s Handbook reforms [Archived]

At the end of September 2017, the SRA launched a further consultation as part of its ‘Looking to the Future’ reforms of the SRA Handbook. The...

27th Sep

Practice notes

Looking to the future—SRA consultation responses [Archived]

In June 2016, the SRA launched plans to 'radically' simplify the SRA Handbook. It published two initial consultation papers:•Looking to the future:...

27th Sep

Practice notes

Looking to the future: SRA review of the Principles and Code of Conduct [Archived]

Less than five years since the SRA Handbook 2011 came into force in October 2011 (and sixteen versions later), the SRA published a consultation paper...

27th Sep

Practice notes

Looking to the future: SRA review of the accounts rules [Archived]

The SRA Accounts Rules are due for an overhaul. Following two earlier reviews, the SRA made changes to the rules in 2015 and 2016, focusing mainly on...

27th Sep

Practice notes

Looking to the future: SRA proposals for reform of the Handbook [Archived]

Less than five years since the SRA Handbook 2011 came into force in October 2011 (and sixteen versions later), the SRA published a consultation paper...

27th Sep