SRA sets Accounts Rules for solicitors handing client money. These aim to keep client money safe, by establishing rules, as well as principles and codes of conduct for firms and solicitors. Solicitors must have systems and controls in place to protect client money.
This Technical Release provides guidance for reporting accountants on how to perform these engagements. This guidance provides the know-how to help reporting accountants to scope and perform their work to meet their professional responsibilities.
The Technical Release has been developed with input from the SRA and is intended to help promote consistency in approach.
If the reporting period straddles the effective date the reporting accountant will need to apply the previous rules to the part of the period up until the effective date. Our earlier Technical Release 16/15 Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Accounts Rules: interim guidance for reporting accountants following changes to the Accountant’s Report requirements (TECH 16/15 AAF) provides guidance for work under the previous rules.
The Accounts Rules are now significantly shorter and focused on principles, rather than prescriptive rules for law firms. The detailed requirements and approach to be taken by the reporting accountant have also been taken out of the Accounts Rules and moved to SRA guidance.
Tech 03/20 AAF includes background to the Accounts Rules, the role of the reporting accountant and practical implications for reporting accountants, including suggested language for letters of engagement. The appendix provides examples of potential further considerations and conclusions on example scenarios that reporting accountants may face.
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