QLTT SRA regulations & other important information
New guidance on the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Regulations (27th June 08)
In a move designed to improve the standards in practice of lawyers qualifying through the QLTT route, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is planning to undertake a fundamental review of the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Regulations (QLTR). We anticipate this taking place in 2010.
The review is designed to ensure that those who qualify under the regulations have the knowledge and skills required for practising as a solicitor of England & Wales. The review will also consider the monitoring of examination providers in order to set standards and provide quality assurance for the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test.
However for the interim period, on 27th June 2008, the SRA published the introduction of new guidance for use when determining the experience gained by applicants to the QLTR prior to their admission as solicitors.
In summary, for those transferees applying under Regulation 6, 10 and 11 of the QLTR route, you will need to show before being admitted that:
- You have at least two year’s of working in legal practice in a common law jurisdiction.
Of which
- At least one year must have been gained by practising the law of England and Wales. This experience must have been gained under the direct supervision of solicitor who must have been admitted as a solicitor in England &Wales.
and
- Experience of three distinct areas of law and experience of both contentious and non-contentious practice.
This new guidance will be used when dealing with applications for a certificate of eligibility received by the SRA on or after 1st September 2008.
Please see the SRAs website http://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/qltt.page for more detailed information on how this will affect your application.
Important change to money laundering regulations
Please be aware that the new Money Laundering Regulations 2007 came into force on 15th December 2007. The College anticipated this change taking place and has included a section in the Head III Professional Conduct and Accounts distance-learning materials to make delegates aware of this. When purchasing our distance-learning materials or attending one of our face-to-face sessions, you will be provided with an additional handout outlining the changes.
Please note however that we will commence examining on the new Law from the June 2008 examination onwards.
Other useful information for candidates
A number of other useful resources are listed below.
To access these resources, you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed.
