Solicitors' Accounts Manual

This edition of the Solicitors' Accounts Manual takes account of changes to the Accounts Rules since June 2015 (Versions 15-18 of the SRA Handbook), including:

• the exemption of some firms from the requirement to obtain an accountant's report
• the removal of rigid restrictions on the format of the report to allow the accountant to exercise their professional judgement and concentrate on risks to client money
• the simplification of the overseas accounting requirements.

In addition to these main changes, new additions to the Annexes include:

• the SRA Overseas Accounts Rules 2013
• new SRA warning notice (money missing from a client account)
• new SRA form AR1: accountant's reporting form
• new guidance on completing the annual accountant's report, including the transitional arrangements
• new Law Society practice notes on residual client balances (January 2016) and protection for client accounts (January 2016).

This is an official source of reference from the Solicitors Regulation Authority, which is relevant to every solicitors' practice.

Contents

1. 1. SRA Accounts Rules
2. 2. SRA Principles and Code of Conduct
3. 3. SRA Glossary
4. 4. Holding client money and accounting to clients
5. 5. Charging clients and paying tax
6. 6. Compliance
7. 7. Further sources of information and support (Index to the Accounts Rules).