PART IIN.I.QUALIFICATION, ADMISSION, PRACTISING CERTIFICATES, ETC.

Qualifications and admissionN.I.

Admission of solicitorsN.I.

5.—(1) Subject to paragraph (5), a person shall not, after the commencement of this Article, be admitted as a solicitor unless he has obtained a certificate from the Society that they are satisfied—

(a)that he has complied with the requirements applicable to him by virtue of regulations made under Article 6, and

(b)as to his character and his fitness to be a solicitor.

(2) A person who has been refused a certificate under paragraph (1) may, within one month from the date on which notice of such refusal is served on him, appeal, upon notice to the Society, to the Lord Chief Justice against such refusal; and for the purposes of this paragraph a person who has not received a certificate within three weeks after applying for it shall be deemed to have received notice at the expiration of that period that the certificate has been refused.

(3) On such appeal—

(a)the Society may appear and be heard; and

(b)the Lord Chief Justice may make such order as he thinks proper, including an order directing the Society to issue the certificate and an order for the payment of costs.

(4) On production of a certificate required by paragraph (1), the Lord Chief Justice shall, unless cause to the contrary is shown to his satisfaction, by writing under his hand and in such form as he thinks fit, admit the person to whom the certificate relates to be a solicitor, and may do so at any time whether or not during a term or sittings of the High Court.