Part III Professional Practice, Conduct and Discipline of Solicitors
Powers of Council to intervene
C140 Powers where failure to comply with accounts rules etc.
1
Where the Council are satisfied, in the case of any solicitor F1or incorporated practice, after enquiry and after giving the solicitor F1or, as the case may be, incorporated practice an opportunity of being heard, that the solicitor F1or, as the case may be, incorporated practiceF2has failed or is failing to comply with any provisions of—
F10za
rules made by virtue of section 34(1D),
a
section 35 or the accounts rules made under that section, or
b
section 37 or the accountant’s certificate rules or other rules made under that section,
so far as applicable in his F1or, as the case may be, its case (in this section referred to as “the applicable provisions”), the Council may, subject to the provisions of this section
b
withdraw the practising certificate or certificates of any or all of the solicitors who are directors of the incorporated practice,
and a certificate so withdrawn shall thereupon cease to have effect and the solicitor shall be suspended from practice as a solicitor.
2
On being satisfied by the solicitor that he F5or, as the case may be, by the incorporated practice that it is able and willing to comply with the applicable provisions, the Council, unless they are of opinion that the solicitor F5or, as the case may be, the incorporated practice is liable to disciplinary proceedings under Part IV, shall terminate the suspension from practice of the solicitor F6or solicitors concerned and shall restore to him or them any practicing certificate or certificates held by him or them for the practice year then current.
3
Within 21 days after receiving written notice of a decision of the Council under this section to withdraw his practising certificate, or to refuse to terminate his suspension from practice, the solicitor may appeal to the Court against F7a decision; and on any such appeal the Court may give such directions in the matter, including directions as to the expenses of the proceedings before the Court, as it may think fit; and the order of the Court shall be final.
4
Any withdrawal of a solicitor’s practising certificate by the Council in exercise of the power conferred by subsection (1) shall be without prejudice to the operation of F11section 34(4ZA), section 35(3) or section 37(8).
F85
The Council shall notify the Commission of any case—
a
where any of the following things occur—
i
they withdraw a practising certificate under subsection (1);
ii
they terminate a suspension from practice and restore a practising certificate under subsection (2);
iii
the Court makes an order under subsection (3); and
b
which does not involve a complaint remitted to the Council under section F96(2)(a) or 15(5)(a) of the 2007 Act.