15.—(1) In any proceedings before the Tribunal any party to the proceedings may appear and may be heard in person or be represented by counsel or a solicitor or, with the leave of the Tribunal, by any other person.
(2) Where a party will be represented in any proceedings by a representative, the details of that representative must be communicated to the Upper Tribunal prior to any hearing.
(3) A party may show any document or communicate any information about the proceedings to that party’s representative without contravening any prohibition or restriction on disclosure of the document or information.
(4) Where a document or information is disclosed under paragraph (3), the representative is subject to any prohibition or restriction on disclosure in the same way that the party is.
(5) For the avoidance of doubt, a party may be represented at a hearing by a person other than a person whose details have been communicated to the Upper Tribunal under paragraph (2), provided any change of representative is in accordance with paragraph (1) and is communicated to the Upper Tribunal in accordance with paragraph (2).
(6) Anything permitted or required to be done by a party under these Rules, a practice direction or an order may be done by a representative, including a lay representative, except signing of an affidavit or a precognition.
(7) The Upper Tribunal may order that a lay representative is not to represent a party if—
(a)it is of the opinion that the lay representative is an unsuitable person to act as a lay representative (whether generally or in the proceedings concerned), or
(b)it is satisfied that making such an order would be in the interests of the efficient administration of justice.
Commencement Information
I1Sch. 1 rule 15 in force at 1.4.2023, see reg. 1(2)