Section 44B notices

Solicitors and other regulated persons are under an obligation under Chapter 10 of the SRA Code of Conduct 20-11 and Rule 31 of the SRA Accounts Rules 2011 to assist the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) during its investigations.

A failure to assist can and often does lead to service of a notice under section 44B of the Solicitors Act 1974 requiring information to be provided or documents to be produced to the SRA.

The section 44B notice normally gives the solicitor seven or 14 days to supply the information or documents and the notice often places a solicitor under great pressure to serve a large amount of information and documents within a short space of time.

We regularly advise solicitors on the information to supply in response to section 44B notices and assist them with their responses to the notices.