SRA | Legal Jargon Explained | Solicitors Regulation Authority

Legal jargon explained

Last updated: 9 December 2022

If you need to use legal services you might come across words and phrases that you're not sure about. Your lawyer should explain them to you if you ask. Here is a summary of some words you might hear, and what they mean. If you can't find the term you're looking for, contact our Consumer Affairs team to suggest that we add it to this glossary.

Advise This includes making recommendations as to a particular course of action. Agent Someone who acts on behalf of someone else: For example, the SRA uses firms of solicitors to carry out interventions into legal practices on our behalf. Agreement Where two parties reach consensus on a set of facts or course of action: For example, the SRA sometimes enters into regulatory settlement agreements with individuals where particular misconduct is admitted and a sanction agreed. Allegation A claim made against someone which has not and may not be proved true Alternative business structures (ABS) Firms managed, owned or controlled by a mix of lawyers and non-lawyers offering legal services Approve To consent or ratify – includes making final amendments/decision on a document, proposal or course of action Arbitration A way of seeking to resolve a dispute without going to court: A third party (the arbitrator) looks at both sides of the dispute and makes a decision as to how it should be resolved; those involved may agree to be bound by the decision of the arbitrator. Assets Things owned by a person or organisation which usually have some value Associate A person, usually employed by a law firm, who may be in charge of handling your case: Often a lawyer, they are considered by the firm employing them to be a "senior assistant". Bankrupt The legal status of a person or organisation that is unable to repay debts owned to its creditors Barrister A lawyer regulated by the Bar Standards Board, often specialising in court room representation, drafting pleadings and expert legal opinions Beneficiary Someone who is entitled to a benefit (e.g. under a will or trust) Bequest A gift of money or personal property made in someone's will Chambers A collection of independent, self-employed barristers who share employed clerks to administer work, and who share the expense of such clerks, office buildings and brand name Chattels Personal belongings that can be moved from one place to another Civil law The area of law covering disputes you may have with a person or an organisation Claimant A person making a claim Client Someone who uses services provided by a lawyer or another Compensation Recompense for loss, injury, or suffering Conditions Requirements, restriction or permission added onto a document Contract An agreement signed by two or more parties setting out the terms of an arrangement—for example, between a buyer and a seller in a property transaction Continuing professional development (CPD) The training that lawyers (and other professionals) are required to complete every year by the organisation regulating them Conveyancing The processes involved in buying, selling or remortgaging a property to transfer its legal title from one person to another Costs Lawyers A lawyer who settles the legal costs of court cases, and who is regulated by the Costs Lawyer Standards Board Counsel A term used to describe a barrister Creditor A person or organisation to whom money is owed Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) The CPS is the organisation that prosecutes criminal cases investigated by the police in England and Wales. Crown Prosecutor A lawyer (generally a solicitor or a barrister) working for the Crown Prosecution Service Culpable At fault or guilty of something Damages An award, typically of money, paid to a person or organisation for loss or injury Discrimination Being treated unfairly or differently because of factors such as disability, race, religion or belief, sex or sexuality Disbursement Fees that are paid to organisations as required as part of legal services: For example, this could be a payment made by your lawyer to a local authority for property information when buying a house. Estate A person's property, entitlements or obligations Evidence That which tends to prove or disprove something Executor Someone named in a will who will carry out the directions of the will Exempt European lawyer (EEL) A lawyer described by a European directive Fee earners Employees of firms who deliver legal services Forfeited (to the Crown) Where someone dies intestate, or their will is invalid, their estate might be passed on to the state if relatives cannot be traced: In the context of the SRA, if a solicitor is fined as part of a regulatory agreement, this money is often passed on to the state. Fraud From the main menu, please select Problems with a solicitor, then, Recognising fraud and dishonesty Fraudster Someone who commits fraud Grounds (legal) The basis or foundation of an action Hearing (legal) A legal proceeding where the facts of a particular issue are looked at, and evidence is presented to help decide what the outcome should be Incorporated company A type of private company with shares, but the shares cannot be traded publicly on the stock exchange: the shareholders have limited liability, which means that only the money invested in the company can be lost in case of insolvency Indemnity Compensation for—or protection against—loss or damages that might be given by one person to another within a contract or otherwise Independent person Someone free from outside control or influence to act in the way they choose Inheritance Parts of someone's estate passing to someone on death In-house lawyer Lawyers working for organisations such as banks or local authorities to provide legal advice to the organisation Insolvent Being unable to pay debts when they are due or where liabilities exceed assets Instructing Authorising a lawyer to represent you: An instruction describes the type of work that you want them to do. Integrity Acting with honesty and morality Interest (legal) A right, claim or privilege Interim proceedings In law, interim proceedings are hearings that take place between the first hearing and the final hearing. Intervention When a regulator takes control of the papers and monies of a legal practice in order to protect the public Intestate Any person who dies without leaving a will is said to have died intestate Law firm Organisations that employ lawyers to provide legal advice and legal services. Law Society of England and Wales The Law Society is the organisation that represents solicitors and their interests in England and Wales. Lawtech Technology that helps law firms provide services to clients is sometimes called lawtech. You can find more about it in our Frequently Asked Questions Lawyer Lawyer is a general term used to describe people who provide legal services. Unlike terms such as solicitor or barrister, lawyer has no defined meaning in UK law. Anyone can call themselves a lawyer, regardless of whether they have any professional legal qualifications or not. In our Standards and Regulations, we use the word lawyer as a shorthand to describe all regulated individuals, but in reality, if someone calls themselves a lawyer, it does not necessarily mean they have an official title or are subject to any formal regulation. Legal aid Government funding that can help people meet the costs of legal services they require, if they are eligible to receive it. It is also used to support legal assistance being provided at police stations where someone is arrested. The GOV.UK website provides information on legal aid. Legal disciplinary practice (LDP) A type of law firm where solicitors work alongside other types of lawyer (such as licensed conveyancers) and a restricted number of non-lawyers Legal executive A lawyer regulated by CILEx Regulation. Legal Ombudsman An independent body set up to deal with complaints of poor service about all lawyers and law firms of England and Wales; see the Legal Ombudsman website for more details Legal services Services provided to clients, such as legal advice or representation in court Liable When someone is legally responsible for something Liability Can mean something that is a hindrance or puts an individual or group at a disadvantage, or it can be something a person is responsible for Licensed conveyancer A lawyer specialising in property law and in some cases other areas of law, and regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. Limited liability partnership (LLP) A business partnership in which some or all of the partners have limited liability in terms of their legal and financial obligations Litigation The contest process before a court Manager (of a law firm) The SRA Code of Conduct 2011 defines this as

• a member of an LLP;
• a director of a company;
• a partner in a partnership; or
• in relation to any other body, a member of its governing body.

Matter An application, information or an issue that the SRA needs to consider Misconduct Sometimes used to refer to the act in which someone regulated by the SRA breaches a principle Money laundering The process of concealing the source of illegally obtained money Monitor To maintain oversight and control Multinational A business that operates in different countries Notary A lawyer regulated by the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury Obligation A requirement to take a particular type of action, that may have a legal basis through a contract Omission A failure to perform a particular act where there was a duty or a legal requirement for that act to be carried out Outcome(s) At the SRA, this often means the final decision following an application to us or an investigation by us Outcomes-focused regulation (OFR) This is our approach to regulation. It allows firms to adopt their own approach, systems and management to best enable them to deliver a good service to client's needs and to support their business. We work in a constructive way with firms to help them comply with the SRA Code of Conduct and our rules. However, we take formal enforcement action if necessary. Out-of-court settlement An agreement between the two sides to settle the case privately before the court makes its decision Paralegal A broad term sometimes used to describe someone who supports lawyers in their work. Partner Members of a firm who equally share ownership and liability Partnership Two or more people working in business together Patent attorney/agent A lawyer regulated by the Intellectual Property Regulation Board. Perform To exercise a function or complete a task Practising certificate (PC) A document issued to solicitors by us which allows a solicitor to carry out certain legal work such as advocacy, litigation, probate and conveyancing. We can impose conditions on a practising certificate restricting the types of work that solicitors can do, and in what circumstances. Prepare To draft or design a document, procedure or proposal Probate A legal permission provided by a Probate Registry for someone to deal with someone else's estate after they die: A Probate Registry is an office where someone can be interviewed in order to be provided with a probate permission. To find your nearest Registry or for more information, visit GOV.UK. Prima facie A Latin term used to describe something that appears on the face of it to be true Public interest The overall welfare of the general public Pursuant When something is related to, or comes out of, something else: For example, our powers to regulate stem from ("are pursuant to") various acts of Parliament. Recognised body/sole practice According to the SRA Code of Conduct 2011, a recognised body is a body recognised by the SRA; a recognised sole practice is a solicitor or REL authorised by the SRA. Registered European lawyer (REL) A lawyer from a European state who registers with the SRA to practise law in England and Wales Registered Foreign lawyer (RFL) A lawyer from overseas who registers with the SRA to practice law in England and Wales Regulated individual An individual who is authorised by the SRA and is therefore regulated by us Remunerate To pay or reward someone for something they have done or a service they have provided, such as a company paying an employee Report To present an account of progress or performance Review To consider a draft document or proposal and input into its development Revocation When something is cancelled or taken away, such as the SRA revoking an individual's permission to practise as a solicitor Risk The likelihood that a particular choice or action might lead to a loss or damage Roll of solicitors A list of all admitted solicitors held by the Law Society of England and Wales Scam Any scheme that cheats people out of their property or money, or causes them damage for the benefit of others Sole practitioner A lawyer who runs his or her own law firm without other partners, directors or members Solicitor A lawyer who has been admitted as a solicitor by the SRA and whose name appears on the roll of solicitors Striking-off/struck-off An example is where a solicitor is struck from the roll of solicitors. Third party A term used to describe someone other than the two sides in a particular situation: For example, it can be used in motor insurance policies to describe other people besides the person who is insured and the company that insures them. Trade mark attorney A lawyer regulated by the Intellectual Property Regulation Board Trainee solicitor A person completing their training requirements in a law firm before applying to become a solicitor Transparent Being open and honest in a way that can be understood by others Tribunal At the SRA, this usually means the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, which is independent of the SRA. Any general reference to a tribunal means a person or group of people who collectively have authority to judge and/or determine claims or disputes. Unadmitted An individual who has not been admitted to the roll of solicitors Will A legal document that declares a person's wishes about the way their estate should be handled when they die