Freelancer notification

What is this notification for?

You need to tell us if you are practising on your own under rule 10 of the SRA Authorisation of Individuals Regulations and your practice does not need to be authorised.

Read our guidance on preparing to become a sole practitioner or an SRA-regulated freelance solicitor first and check whether you are eligible to operate as a freelancer.

What you need to tell us

Tell us whether you intend to deliver reserved legal services and answer some questions so that we can check whether you meet the conditions set out in the regulations.

If you are already practising as a freelance solicitor, and have previously told us, you need to tell us if your services have changed, such as if you are no longer providing reserved legal services. This information is included on our public register. You can tell us about any changes in mySRA.

You will also need to tell us where you will be practising from and if you want this address to be included on our public register. If not, you will need to provide an alternative address.

If your practice is an 'independent legal professional' (ILP) as defined by the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (MLR 2017), you will need to tell us about the type of work you do. We will also need to approve you as a beneficial owner, manager or officer of your practice. If you are not sure if you are subject to these regulations, or what additional requirements apply to your practice, please read our guidance.

No longer providing legal services as a freelancer

You need to end your freelancer post in mySRA if you no longer wish to provide legal services as a freelancer.

Publication of a main practising address

Regulation 2.1(f) of the SRA Rolls, Register and Publication Regulations (RRP) requires that our register contains details of a practising solicitor’s main practising address.

Regulation 5.2 of the RRP allows us to withhold a main practising address if we  consider it is in the public interest to do so. You will need to provide reasons as to why your main practising address should be withheld from publication. Please note, working from home reason alone will not outweigh the public interest.

Although our freelancer notification form indicates otherwise, we are unable to accept an alternative address to be published.

The freelancer form is in the process of being updated and section 4.3 will be removed in due course.