The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has announced that the deadline for practising certificate (PC) renewals is 17:00 on Friday 2 March. Firms who haven't yet applied are urged to treat this as a priority - please start the process of applying for online PC renewal today. It would be prudent in our view to plan for the pressure on the system in the last few days to be acute so do everything you can to avoid any last minute rush for advice from the SRA's contact centre. It would be sensible to maintain an audit trail of all steps you attempt to complete the process. Of course, Law Society regional managers will be happy to help if requested.
PC renewal details on the SRA website
COLP and COFA nominations
There is also to be a revised timetable for nominating compliance officers for legal practice (COLPs) and compliance officers for finance and administration (COFAs), which will be communicated by the SRA in due course. We will issue further commentary shortly.