THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SRA AND CLC Conveyancing solicitors and licensed conveyancers are different sides of the same coin. The main difference between them is their regulatory bodies. All solicitors in England and Wales are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and registered with The Law Society, whereas licensed conveyancers are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).
Different standards for SRA and CLC Although they are separate, both licensed conveyancers and solicitors have a similar set of standards and guidelines which their members must abide by, but what are the main differences between SRA and CLC.
The Administration of Justice Act 1985 Before 1985, homebuyers and sellers had little option but to use a conveyancing solicitor. However, the burgeoning number of legal resources used by solicitors meant that the industry itself had to expand in order to deal with the demands of the growing number of people buying and selling property. The 1985 Administration of Justice Act enabled licensed conveyancers to supply their services and are described by the CLC as: “A qualified specialist lawyer who concentrates solely on dealing with property or conveyancing.