Individuals who have obtained the relevant Practice Rights and have the required
experience can make an application to become a CRL regulated firm (entity).
Benefits of running your own firm
- Be your own boss
- Improved work/life balance
- Convenient office location
- Gain the remuneration you deserve
- Focus on the work you want to do
- Take back control
How we can help
- Our help and guidance is designed to help you to take the first steps to self-employment.
- Before beginning an application, it is important that you first check our basic principles for applicants to find out if you can proceed to set-up a firm regulated by us.
- Once you are ready to start an application – access our guidance on how to prepare your application for authorisation. In addition, our Stage-by-Stage guide takes you through each stage of the application process including the required application forms.
Other points to consider:
- A CILEx Fellow without practice rights can be an owner. All owners must be authorised to conduct legal work.
- A non-legal professional can be an owner if you firm has an alternative business structure (ABS) – a structure which allows non-legal professionals to have a financial stake in the firm.
- You must have a suitably qualified and Approved Manager to provide one of these legal activities, for example a solicitor, barrister or conveyancer.
- You must also have a Compliance Manager to oversee overall practice management and accounts management.
- To be an Approved Manager or Compliance Manager you need to demonstrate your competency against the requirements of the Practice Management and Accounts Management Competency Frameworks.
Types of firm and owner
We can help if your firm wants to offer any of the following:
- conveyancing
- immigration
- litigation (civil, criminal or family)
- probate
Independent Practice Rights
Gaining an independent practice right means you can carry out work in a reserved activity without supervision. That can allow you to progress within a firm or open up further career opportunities. Being able to actively supervise colleagues’ work, can mean that more senior roles are then a possibility. If you want to become your own boss now or in the future, then for many, independent practice rights will be a necessary first step.
Find out more:
- New route to Practice Rights (via University of Law)
- Gain Independent Practice Rights (Regulation Matters feature).
Additional resources
- Setting-up a law firm – key documents
- Case study – Holland Family Law
- CILEx – for information on courses, qualifications and experience
- The Sole Practitioners Group
- GOV.UK – Set up a business
- The Federation of Small Businesses
