SRA Handbook

Overseas practice

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Version 5 of the Handbook was published on 01/10/2012. For more information, please click 'History' Above

Rule 20: Overseas practice

20.1

Subject to Rule 20.2 to 20.4, the requirements in these rules apply to the overseas practice of a solicitor, REL, RFL or authorised body.

20.2

The rules in Part 2 and Rules 17.2, 18.4, 19 and 21 apply to your overseas practice as:

(a)

a manager of an authorised body, if you are a lawyer of England and Wales or an individual non-lawyer;

(b)

a member or shareowner of an authorised body which is a company, if you are a solicitor or (in relation to practice from an office in Scotland or Northern Ireland) an REL,

except that Rule 19 applies only to the extent that it applies to the authorised body, manager or employee by virtue of these rules or Chapter 13 (Application and waivers provisions) of the SRA Code of Conduct.

20.3

If you are a solicitor or an REL you are not required to comply with Rule 13 or Rule 14, as appropriate, in order to practise through a firm which has no office in England and Wales, but you must comply with Rule 1 and Rule 2.

20.4

If compliance with any applicable provision of these rules would result in your breaching local law, you may disregard that provision to the extent necessary to comply with that local law.