SRA Authorisation Rules 2011 meaning

In practice, the SRA Authorisation Rules 2011 were the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s rules for how firms and alternative business structures were authorised to provide reserved legal activities in England and Wales, and how that authorisation could be maintained, conditioned, varied or revoked in the public interest. Sitting within the SRA Handbook (not legislation), they implemented the Legal Services Act 2007 framework by setting criteria and processes for applications, approvals of managers/owners and compliance officers, and the SRA’s powers to refuse, restrict or withdraw authorisation. The Rules were superseded on 25 November 2019 by the SRA Standards and Regulations, principally the SRA Authorisation of Firms Rules 2019 and the SRA Authorisation of Individuals Regulations 2019. The 2011 Rules remain relevant to historic matters, legacy authorisations and the assessment of pre‑2019 regulatory decisions and conduct. This term is specific to England and Wales. Regulation of solicitors and reserved legal services in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland is governed by different statutory regimes and regulators, so references to the SRA Authorisation Rules 2011 should generally not be applied outside England and Wales. Legal professionals may encounter the term in due diligence, compliance audits and case law addressing earlier SRA authorisation decisions.