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Solicitors & Legal: regulation and standards explained

If you're researching Solicitors & Legal in Manchester, this short reference covers the essentials.

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Regulation & standards

Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) - regulates solicitors and law firms in England and Wales, setting professional standards, authorising practice and taking disciplinary action; it regulates well over 100,000 solicitors across more than 11,000 firms.

Relevant trade bodies include The Law Society of England and Wales - the professional body representing solicitors., The Bar Council - the representative body for barristers in England and Wales., Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) - professional body for Chartered Legal Executives, paralegals and other legal professionals., STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) - professional body for wills, probate, trusts and estate planning specialists (TEP designation)., The Law Society of Scotland and the Law Society of Northern Ireland - the bodies for solicitors in those separate jurisdictions..

Recognised qualifications

If you're researching Solicitors & Legal in Manchester, this short reference covers the essentials.
  • Solicitor: from 2021 qualification is via the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) - requiring a degree (or equivalent), passing SQE1 and SQE2, completing at least two years' qualifying work experience (QWE), and meeting the SRA's character and suitability requirements; the older LPC/training contract route is being phased out.
  • Solicitors must hold a current practising certificate issued by the SRA to practise; you can verify this on the SRA's solicitors register.
  • Barrister: a qualifying law degree (or conversion), the Bar training course and pupillage, with a practising certificate; barristers appear on the BSB's Barristers' Register.
  • Chartered Legal Executive: the CILEX Professional Qualification (CPQ) route, regulated by CILEx Regulation.
  • Licensed conveyancer: qualified and licensed by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers.
  • STEP qualifications lead to the TEP (Trust and Estate Practitioner) designation for estate/probate specialists.
  • Will-writing and general legal advice are not 'reserved' activities, so providers may be unregulated and need no specific licence - look for membership of a recognised regulator or body instead.