Legal services in England and Wales are delivered by a range of providers, but not everyone may do everything, and not every client gets the same protection. As a solicitor you need to know what you are authorised to do, what your firm must have in place, and where a dissatisfied or out-of-pocket client can turn. This topic gives you the map that sits behind day-to-day practice — who regulates whom, what work is restricted, and how clients are protected.
What this lesson covers:
- Regulatory Framework — the tiered system from the Legal Services Board down to approved regulators like the SRA and BSB.
- Reserved and Unreserved Activities — which legal activities are restricted, which are open to anyone, and the criminal risk of getting it wrong.
- Authorised and Exempt Persons — who may lawfully carry out reserved work, and why a litigant in person is in the clear.
- Authorisation of Firms — dual authorisation, recognised bodies, licensed bodies (ABS) and the compliance officers a firm must appoint.
- Practising Certificates, Barristers and Other Providers — when a solicitor needs a certificate and what a McKenzie Friend may do.
- Client Protection and Complaints — service versus conduct complaints, and the role of the Legal Ombudsman.
- Compensation Fund and Indemnity Insurance — the dividing line between dishonesty and negligence, and who pays.