Legal Services Act 2007

30(1)Section 28 (regulations) is amended as follows.

(2)In subsection (1)—

(a)for “Master of the Rolls” substitute “Society”,

(b)omit “, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State and the Lord Chief Justice,”,

(c)in paragraph (c) omit “and applications for them”,

(d)after that paragraph insert—

“(ca)sole solicitor endorsements and applications for them,”, and

(e)in paragraph (d) for “section 9” substitute “section 10A”.

(3)Omit subsections (2) and (3).

(4)In subsection (3A)—

(a)for “may—” insert “may (among other things)—

(za)make provision about the form in which the roll is to be kept and the manner in which entries are to be made, altered and removed;”,

(b)omit “and” at the end of paragraph (b), and

(c)after paragraph (d) insert—

“(e)require the information on the roll to be made available to the public;

(f)specify the manner in which information is to be made so available and require it to be made so available during office hours and without charge.”

(5)After that subsection insert—

“(3B)Regulations about practising certificates or sole solicitor endorsements may (among other things)—

(a)prescribe the form and manner in which applications for, or relating to, practising certificates or sole solicitor endorsements are to be made;

(b)prescribe information which must be included in or accompany such applications;

(c)make provision about time limits for dealing with such applications, and confer on a person power to extend or bring forward such a time limit in prescribed circumstances;

(d)prescribe the requirements which applicants for practising certificates must satisfy before they may be issued with a practising certificate;

(e)prescribe descriptions of applicants, and conditions in relation to them, for the purposes of section 10(2) (circumstances in which practising certificates must be issued subject to prescribed conditions);

(f)prescribe descriptions of applicants, and conditions in relation to them, for the purposes of section 13ZA(5) (circumstances in which a practising certificate endorsed with a sole solicitor endorsement after it was issued must be made subject to prescribed conditions);

(g)prescribe circumstances for the purposes of section 10(3) (circumstances in which application may be refused etc in the public interest);

(h)make provision about when conditions imposed on practising certificates take effect (including provision conferring power on the Society to direct that a condition is not to have effect until the conclusion of any appeal in relation to it);

(i)make provision for the commencement, duration, replacement, withdrawal and expiry of practising certificates or sole solicitor endorsements;

(j)prescribe circumstances for the purposes of section 13A(2) (circumstances in which conditions can be imposed during period of practising certificate);

(k)require solicitors who hold practising certificates to notify the Society of such matters as may be prescribed, at such times, or in such circumstances as may be prescribed.

(3C)Regulations about the keeping of the register under section 10A may (among other things)—

(a)make provision about the form in which the register is to be kept and the manner in which entries are to be made, altered and removed;

(b)require information of a specified kind to be included in entries in the register;

(c)require information (or information of a specified description) on the register to be made available to the public;

(d)specify the manner in which it is to be made so available and require it to be made so available during office hours and without charge.

(3D)Regulations under this section may make provision for appeals to the High Court against decisions made by the Society under the regulations.

(3E)In relation to an appeal under regulations made by virtue of subsection (3D), the High Court may make such order as it thinks fit as to payment of costs.

(3F)The decision of the High Court on such an appeal shall be final.

(3G)Regulations under this section may—

(a)provide for a person to exercise a discretion in dealing with any matter;

(b)include incidental, supplementary and consequential provision;

(c)make transitory or transitional provision and savings;

(d)make provision generally or only in relation to specified cases or subject to specified exceptions;

(e)make different provision for different cases.”

(6)Omit subsections (4) and (5).