Part 2Restrictions on provision of legal services and conveyancing services
Legal services
31Exceptions to section 30
Despite anything in section 30, a lawyer may, at any time, commence practice on his or her own account, whether in partnership or otherwise, if, immediately before the commencement of this section, he or she would have been entitled to do so under the Law Practitioners Act 1982 had this Act not been passed; and, for the purposes of this subsection, section 55 of that Act has effect as if it had not been repealed.
Section 30 does not restrict the right of a lawyer—
- to practise as a barrister and solicitor on his or her own account, if at any time previously (whether before or after the commencement of this section) he or she has lawfully practised on his or her own account as a solicitor or as a barrister and solicitor; or
- to resume practice as a barrister on his or her own account, if at any time previously (whether before or after the commencement of this section) he or she has lawfully practised as a barrister on his or her own account.
Despite subsection (2), if,—
- in the case of a lawyer to whom subsection (2)(a) applies, more than 10 years have elapsed since that lawyer last practised on his or her own account as a solicitor or as a barrister and solicitor; or
- in the case of a lawyer to whom subsection (2)(b) applies, more than 10 years have elapsed since that lawyer last practised on his or her own account as a barrister,—
Section 30 does not restrict the right of a lawyer who is not entitled to practise on his or her own account, to act in any community law centre whose employing body comprises 1 or more lawyers qualified to practise on his or her own account, under the direct supervision of a lawyer qualified to practise on his or her own account and employed by that community law centre, or with the approval of the Secretary for Justice.
Compare
- 1982 No 123 s 55(7), (8)
Notes
- Section 31(4): amended, on , by section 144 of the Legal Services Act 2011 (2011 No 4).