MANDATORY TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR QUALIFYING AS BOOK-KEEPER UNDER THE LEGAL PROFESSION (SOLICITORS’ ACCOUNTS) RULES

A solicitor is only permitted to engage a book-keeper to keep his books and accounts properly written up under rule 11(8) of the Legal Profession (Solicitors’ Accounts) Rules with the Council’s written permission.

Pursuant to rule 11A(2) of the Legal Profession (Solicitors’ Accounts) Rules, the application for engagement of book-keeper is in the prescribed form accompanied with a Statutory Declaration by the proposed book-keeper. The Statutory Declaration requires the proposed book-keeper to declare that he has completed the mandatory course and if he has not, he must provide an undertaking to complete the course within 12 months of being appointed.

To meet the training requirements for book-keepers for purposes of the Legal Profession (Solicitors’ Accounts) Rules, a book-keeper and the employer solicitor must ensure that the book-keeper complies with the requirement to complete, during 12 months of his appointment, the mandatory training course provided by the Law Society.

Pursuant to rule 11A(4) of the Legal Profession (Solicitors’ Accounts) Rules, if a book-keeper failed to comply with the undertaking to complete the mandatory course, Council may, in its discretion, disqualify the book-keeper for purposes of Rule 11(8) of the Legal Profession (Solicitors’ Accounts) Rules.

For information on the engagement of book-keepers, click here.