SRA Practice Framework Rules 2011 meaning

In practice, the SRA Practice Framework Rules 2011 described the permitted ways in which solicitors in England and Wales (and certain foreign‑registered lawyers) could practise, the business vehicles they could use, and scope of services, including reserved legal activities, they could offer. They formed part of the SRA Handbook 2011 and were regulatory rules, not legislation, made under the Legal Services Act 2007. Key features included conditions for practice as a recognised sole practice, recognised body or licensed body (alternative business structure), regulation of work by Registered European Lawyers (RELs), Registered Foreign Lawyers (RFLs) and authorised bodies, and rules for in‑house practice and practice from offices outside England and Wales. The Rules were superseded on 25 November 2019 by the SRA Standards and Regulations, principally the SRA Authorisation of Firms Rules, SRA Authorisation of Individuals Regulations, and the Codes of Conduct for Solicitors and for Firms. Following Brexit, the REL regime ended (subject to transitional protections), while RFL provisions continue under the SRA framework. The Rules do not apply in Scotland, Northern Ireland or Ireland. Those jurisdictions have their own practice rules set by their respective law societies; references to the 2011 Rules there are historical or for cross‑border matters.