Solicitors On Firms’ Headed Notepaper Must Hold Practising Certificate

The attention of all solicitors’ firms is drawn to the provision of the Solicitors (Practice, Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1996 (SI No 178 of 1996), in regulation 6(iv) of those regulations, which provides that all solicitors who are listed on the professional notepaper of the professional practice of a solicitor shall hold a current practising certificate issued by the Society.

Therefore, it is prohibited for a solicitors’ firm to list on its notepaper the name of any person on the Roll of Solicitors who does not hold a practising certificate. This prohibition includes the listing of consultants or retired partners not holding a practising certificate.

Firms’ notepapers are monitored on a regular basis by the Society’s Regulation Department and any apparent breaches of this provision may be subject to investigation and, if appropriate, regulatory and/or disciplinary action and/or legal proceedings.

John Elliot, Registrar of Solicitors and Director of Regulation