Most people picture a solicitor working in a law firm — but plenty don't. Some go freelance, some work in-house for a business, and others serve the public through a law centre or charity. In every one of these settings the organisation may not be regulated by the SRA, yet the solicitor personally still is. That gap changes what you may do, how you handle reserved activities, and what you must disclose to clients. Knowing the boundaries keeps you on the right side of the law — because overstepping can mean a criminal offence, not just a telling-off.
This lesson walks through each setting in turn:
- Overview and Reserved Activities — the three settings outside authorised firms, why the solicitor stays personally regulated, and the six reserved activities you must get right.
- Freelance Solicitors — who can practise alone, the experience needed, the limits on client money and insurance, and what must be disclosed to clients.
- In-House Solicitors — working where the employer is the client, who you may serve, and how reserved activities are performed lawfully.
- Solicitors in Non-Commercial Bodies — serving the public through an unregulated organisation, and how to make sure clients understand its regulatory status.