SRA consults on changes to solicitor competence framework
Regulator seeks views on updates to the Statement of Solicitor Competence and functioning legal knowledge, with changes due to take effect from September.
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The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is inviting views on proposed updates to the Statement of Solicitor Competence and functioning legal knowledge (FLK), it said in a release published on 8 October 2026.
The Statement of Solicitor Competence sets out the standards of competence expected of all solicitors from the point of qualification, while FLK defines the core legal principles and rules that Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) candidates must understand and apply. The SRA said the proposals were drawn up following feedback from nearly 150 solicitors, law firms, educators, representative bodies and academics.
Areas where the Statement of Solicitor Competence could be updated include the use of technology and AI, supervision, health and wellbeing, and professional conduct and ethics. The SRA also proposed changes to FLK to add clarity, and to add or remove content.
The consultation will run until 3 December, during which the SRA said it would engage directly with a wide range of stakeholders. The SRA said the new competence statement and FLK will be published in April, and will become effective from September.
Beth Black, SRA Director of Education and Training, said: “By keeping the framework up to date, we can help make sure it remains a practical and relevant tool for solicitors, employers and educators, while continuing to support the high standards and public confidence on which the profession depends.”
The competence statement was originally introduced in April 2015 and comprises three parts: the Statement of Solicitor Competence, the Statement of Knowledge setting out functioning legal knowledge required, and a Threshold Standard defining levels of competency.