Not every legal service in England and Wales has to be supplied by an SRA-authorised law firm. The legal framework reserves particular activities, while many advisory, drafting and preparatory tasks can be supplied outside those reserved categories.
The activity matters more than the label
A phrase such as “court support”, “family help” or “employment advice” does not by itself tell you whether the work is reserved or separately regulated. The important question is what the provider will actually do and what responsibility it will accept.
The six reserved categories
The Legal Services Act 2007 identifies rights of audience, conduct of litigation, reserved instrument activities, probate activities, notarial activities and administration of oaths as reserved categories. Separate legislation and regulatory regimes also affect areas such as immigration advice, regulated claims-management services and certain financial or consumer-credit activities.
Questions worth asking before you instruct
- Is the business itself authorised by a legal-services regulator?
- Who will personally provide or supervise the work?
- What exact task is included and what is excluded?
- Who remains responsible for court filing, service and deadlines?
- What insurance and complaints arrangements apply?
- Will another authorised provider be needed for a later step?
A clear service should answer these questions before substantive work begins.
General information only
This article is general information rather than advice on your individual circumstances. Law and procedure can change, and the correct approach can depend on the documents, facts and deadlines in your matter.