The Solicitors' Accounts Rules 1998 were amended on 31 March 2009

Solicitors' Accounts Rules 1998

Last updated 31 March 2009

The Solicitors' Accounts Rules 1998 were amended on 31 March 2009 as part of a general updating of the rules to introduce firm-based regulation and legal disciplinary practices as provided for in the Legal Services Act 2007. To view changes to the rules, follow the links in the table of contents below.

Appendix 5 (Form AR1) was amended on 21 May 2009 in order to clarify who should be named on the accountant's report in accordance with rule 35 of the accounts rules.

For versions of the Accounts Rules in force prior to 14 July 2008, visit Previous Accounts Rules.

For help using change tracker, see What is change tracker?

Contents

• Part A – General
• Part B – Client money and operation of a client account
• Part C – Interest
• Part D – Accounting systems and records
• Part E – Monitoring and investigation by the SRA
• Part F – Accountants' reports
• Part G – Commencement
• Appendix 1 – Flowchart: Effect of the Solicitors' Accounts Rules
• Appendix 2 – Special Situations – What Applies
• Appendix 3 – Accounting Procedures and Systems
• Appendix 4 – Reporting Accountant's Checklist (PDF 5 pages, 128K)
• Appendix 5 – Accountant's Report Form (AR1) (PDF 9 pages, 459K)

Judge removed following OJC investigation

Friday 24 April 2009 by a Gazette reporter

A district judge has been removed from office in the first judicial sacking since 1983. The Office for Judicial Complaints said yesterday that Margaret Short, who was appointed to the South East District Bench in 1993, has been removed following an investigation into ‘inappropriate behaviour’.

A statement said the investigation ‘found that her behaviour had been inappropriate, petulant and rude with regard to one incident, and intemperate and ill-judged with regard to another.’

Other criticisms of Judge Short’s conduct included ‘taking annual leave when she was asked specifically not to; failing on request to hand over court documents central to the investigation combined with a refusal to co-operate with it, thereby contributing significantly to the time the disciplinary process has taken; and failing to deal with the substantive issues or to exercise sound judgement when responding to the complaints. This included making serious allegations against support staff which were not only untrue but which it was found she knew to be untrue.’

The investigation was initiated under disciplinary proceedings existing before the creation of the Office for Judicial Complaints. In 1983, Judge Bruce Campbell was removed for smuggling alcohol and tobacco on his private yacht.

Judge removed following OJC investigation

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Da Vinci judge in the dock after reprimand - Times Online

Da Vinci judge in the dock after reprimand - Times Online

Britain’s most senior judge took the unprecedented step of initiating disciplinary action against one of his own High Court judges last night.

Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, the Lord Chief Justice, has referred Mr Justice Peter Smith to the Office for Judicial Complaints, with the agreement of the Lord Chancellor.

The move comes after Mr Justice Peter Smith was severely castigated recently for failing to step down from a case involving a law firm towards which he had shown “undoubted animosity”.

The judge had been in unsuccessful negotiations with Addleshaw Goddard, the 15th-largest law firm in Britain with almost 600 solicitors, and a partner in the case who came before the judge to be tried asked that he step down.