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Solicitors Community resources

Key resources for Solicitors Community members.
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Managing your law firm

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS DEPARTMENT Guidance on Customer Due Diligence on Law firms/solicitors
  • 29 Mar 2022
Firms ask us about the level of due diligence required for UK law firms and whether ID is required for individual solicitors. This guidance is designed to supplement the requirements within the CCAB AML Guidance for the Accountancy Sector.
Exclusive SOLICITORS COMMUNITY Switching on to greener office policies
  • 05 Apr 2017
  • Solicitors Community
  • Solicitors Community Newsletter
Making some small, simple changes can make the difference to your sustainability credentials and your bottom line.
Exclusive SOLICITORS COMMUNITY The power of simplicity and efficient working
  • 02 Nov 2016
  • Solicitors Community Newsletter
Sometimes making small, simple changes can bring about great benefits. Jon Cartwright from Hazlewoods provides some tips.

Solicitors' Accounts Rules

Solicitors Regulation Authority Accounts Rules: Accountant’s Reports for full reporting periods after 25 November 2019 (TECH 01/21 AAF)
  • 04 Mar 2021
  • ICAEW, Audit and Assurance Faculty
This Technical Release is published by ICAEW’s Audit and Assurance Faculty. It provides practical guidance for accountants reporting to the SRA under the SRA Accounts Rules effective from 25 November 2019.
Exclusive SRA accounts rules*
  • 23 Sep 2021
  • Technical Advisory Services
Guidance from Technical Advisory Services to help ICAEW members identify appropriate sources of guidance and support when undertaking the role of Reporting Accountant under the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority’s (SRA) Accounts Rules.
Exclusive Exploring Solicitors Regulation Authority Accounts Rules
  • 03 Feb 2021
  • Sally Hutchings
  • Audit and Beyond
Reporting accountants may benefit from reviewing their approach to Solicitors Regulation Authority Accounts Rules assignments. Sally Hutchings, Technical Editor of Mercia’s SRA Accounts Rules manual, covers risk assessments, key tests and controls, efficiency and places you can find guidance and support.
Accounting for solicitors
  • 21 May 2024
  • ICAEW Library and Information Service
Accounting for solicitors and legal professionals is a specialist area that requires an understanding of rules and regulations in the sector. On this page you can access a range of articles, books and online resources providing quick links to Solicitors' Accounts Rules, practical guidance and background information.
Exclusive Accountants have a role in protecting solicitors’ client money
  • 24 Feb 2020
  • ICAEW
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)’s Accounts Rules provide critical protections for clients of UK solicitors, setting principles on how their money should be safeguarded while held on their behalf.

Accounting for solicitors and LLPs

Accounting for solicitors
  • ICAEW Library and Information Service
Accounting for solicitors and legal professionals is a specialist area that requires an understanding of rules and regulations in the sector. On this page you can access a range of articles, books and online resources providing quick links to Solicitors' Accounts Rules, practical guidance and background information.
Accounting for Limited Liability Partnerships
  • ICAEW Library and Information Service
Accounting for limited liability partnerships (LLPs) is a specialist area that requires expertise and an understanding of the business structure. On this page you can access a range of articles, books and online resources providing quick links to Statements of Recommended Practice, guidance and news.

eBooks

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides a hand-picked collection of eBooks as a benefit of membership. If you are unable to access an eBook, please see our Help and support or contact library@icaew.com.
Terms of use

You are permitted to access, download, copy, or print out content from eBooks for your own research or study only, subject to the terms of use set by our suppliers and any restrictions imposed by individual publishers. Please see individual supplier pages for full terms of use.

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Books and journals in the Library collection

The ICAEW Library & Information Service holds a print collection of over 45,000 books and around 160 current professional journals. Journals in the Library collection include the New Law Journal and the Law Society Gazette (both available via the Business Centre computers and our document supply service). Please see our document supply page for information on how to request copies of journal articles. For information on borrowing books from the Library please contact us or see our guide to book loans.

The solicitor's handbook 2024
  • 2024
  • G. Treverton-Jones
  • Law Society
A comprehensive and user-friendly guide to the regulations governing the conduct of solicitors, including the SRA Accounts Rules. The 2024 edition has been updated to take into account all the key regulatory developments which have taken place since the publication of the 2022 edition.
Risk and compliance: questions and answers
  • 2022
  • R.Atkinson
  • Law Society Publishing
Provides practical guidance on points that those tasked with risk and compliance in their firm or business need to consider, with 200 questions and answers. Sections cover anti-money laundering, financial crime and regulation and compliance: including SRA accounts rules and compliance questions for running a law firm.
Dealing with digital assets: a guide for private client solicitors
  • 2021
  • J. Bell
  • Law Society Publishing
This book, aimed at all practitioners involved in drafting wills and estate planning, explains the practical and legal aspects of planning for and administering a digital estate. A template for a digital assets inventory is also included.
Solicitors and the accounts rules: a compliance handbook
  • 2021
  • A.Allen
  • Law Society
Provides commentary on the requirements of the SRA Accounts Rules 2019, highlighting the key changes and suggesting practical steps that firms can take to ensure compliance with the Rules.
SRA Handbook
  • 2019
  • Solicitors Regulation Authority
  • Law Society Publishing
This handbook sets out the standards and requirements which the SRA expects its regulated community to achieve and observe for the benefits of the clients they serve and in the general public interest.
Accounts for solicitors, 2019/20
  • 2019
  • J.Kempton
  • Guildford: The College of Law Publishing (CLP)
A practical introduction to the accounts of solicitors and, in particular, the need to account for a client's money. Includes worked examples.
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Model documents

The ICAEW Library & Information Service holds a wide range of model documents in print and digital formats, including some tailored for solicitor clients and LLPs. Model documents can be supplied by email (where licences permit) or sent by post.

Document supply
We can post or email articles, book excerpts and model documents to you through our document supply service.
Engagement letters
Engagement letters are a key document in the relationship between you and your client, providing a written confirmation of the work that will be carried out. The Library can provide sample wording for a wide variety of engagement letters.
UK GAAP model accounts and disclosure checklists Example financial statements and disclosure checklists for UK GAAP available from the ICAEW Library & Information Service, Bloomsbury and other sources.

Market research

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides access to industry profiles and market reports as a benefit of ICAEW membership. See our Legal services industry guide for a more comprehensive selection of market research resources for the legal sector. If you are unable to access a report, please see our Online resources troubleshooting or contact library@icaew.com

Exclusive Legal Services Industry Profile: Europe
  • Nov 2022
  • MarketLine
Annual MarketLine legal services industry profile covering the European market size, competitive landscape and forecast data for market performance.
Exclusive Legal Services Industry Profile: United Kingdom
  • Nov 2022
  • MarketLine
Annual MarketLine UK legal services industry profile covering the market size, competitive landscape and forecast data for market performance.
Exclusive Legal Services Industry Profile: Global
  • Nov 2022
  • MarketLine
Annual MarketLine Global legal services industry profile covering the market size, competitive landscape and forecast data for market performance.
Terms of use

You are permitted to access articles subject to the terms of use set by our suppliers and any restrictions imposed by individual publishers. Please see individual supplier pages for full terms of use.

Useful links

Annual Law Firms’ Survey 2023: Bold steps to sustainable transformation
  • PwC
PwC's annual summary of the financial results and trends in the UK law sector over the past year.
LexisNexis Gross Legal Product (GLP) Index 2024
  • LexisNexis
Growth is still on the cards for 2024 – but is the legal sector bouncing back or burning out? The LexisNexis GLP Index pulls together the latest datapoints to predict growth and demand across multiple practice areas of the law. Requires free registration to access.
Generative AI and the future of the legal profession
  • LexisNexis
A LexisNexis July 2023 report into the views of UK legal professionals on using artificial intelligence (AI) tools within their firms. The report's findings included that clients want their law firms to adopt AI tools sooner than the latter think. Requires free registration to access.
The Law Management Section Financial Benchmarking Survey 2023 report
  • The Law Society
The Law Society's Financial Benchmarking Survey summarises the performance of 155 law firms in England and Wales. The survey calculates average fee earner breakeven points and looks at areas for firms to focus on in order to increase profitability and optimise cash flow.
Law Firm Benchmarking 2023
  • Crowe
Annual Crowe report providing a snapshot of the legal industry's performance in the UK. The 2023 results indicate that increases in people numbers and base line expenses have led to a decrease in profit pools, despite increased fee income for most firms.
2023 Legal Trends Report
  • Clio
Clio's Legal Trends 2023 report analyses data from thousands of US firms and legal professionals, to assess the level of technology adoption and growth markers of the most successful firms. An hourly benchmark calculator for US legal professionals is also available.
UK legal services 2022
  • TheCityUK
Research report on the UK's legal sector output, covering legal services in the UK, dispute resolution in London and the UK and the sector's contribution to the UK economy.
Strategies for success: a survey of UK law firms
  • Saffery Champness/ILFM
Saffery Champness and The Institute of Legal Finance and Management (ILFM)'s latest benchmarking survey of the legal sector. The research took place at the end of 2021 and looks at firms’ financial performance, their strategies for success and the key challenges they are facing.
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Some of the content on this web page was provided by the Chartered Accountants’ Trust for Education and Research, a registered charity, which owns the library and operates it for ICAEW.