Courts and Legal Services Act 1990

89 Foreign lawyers: recognised bodies and partnerships with solicitors. E+W

(1) The Law Society shall maintain a register of foreign lawyers for the purposes of this section.

(2) A foreign lawyer who wishes to be registered under this section must apply to the Society in accordance with the requirements of Part I of Schedule 14.

(3) The power to make rules under—

(a) the following provisions of the Solicitors Act 1974—

(i) section 31 (professional practice, conduct and discipline);

(ii) section 32 (accounts and trust accounts);

(iii) section 34 (accountants’ reports);

[F1 (iv) sections 36 and 36A (compensation grants); and]

(v) section 37 (professional indemnity); and

(b) section 9 of the Administration of Justice Act 1985 (incorporated practices),

shall also be exercisable in relation to registered foreign lawyers.

(4) Subject to the provisions of Schedule 14, any such power may be exercised so as[F2 to make different provision with respect to registered foreign lawyers to the provision made with respect to solicitors.]

(5) Subject to the provisions of Schedule 14, the [F3 Lord Chancellor] may by order provide that any enactment or instrument—

(a) passed or made before [F4 or in the same Session as the Legal Services Act 2007 was passed];

(b) having effect in relation to solicitors; and

(c) specified in the order,

shall have effect with respect to registered foreign lawyers as it has effect with respect to solicitors.

(6) An order under subsection (5) may provide for an enactment or instrument to have effect with respect to registered foreign lawyers subject to such additions, omissions or other modifications as the [F5 Lord Chancellor] sees fit to specify in the order.

(7) Subject to the provisions of Schedule 14, the [F6 Lord Chancellor] may by order provide that any enactment or instrument—

(a) passed or made before [F7 or in the same Session as the Legal Services Act 2007 was passed];

(b) having effect in relation to recognised bodies; and

(c) specified in the order,

shall, in its application in relation to recognised bodies whose [F8 managers] include one or more registered foreign lawyers, have effect with such additions, omissions or other modifications as the [F6 Lord Chancellor] sees fit to specify in the order.

(8) Schedule 14 shall have effect for the purposes of supplementing this section.

[F9 (8A) Rules and regulations made by the Law Society under, or by virtue of, this section or Schedule 14 which are not regulatory arrangements within the meaning of the Legal Services Act 2007 are to be treated as such arrangements for the purposes of that Act.]

(9) In this section and in Schedule 14—

• “foreign lawyer” means a person who is not a solicitor or barrister but who is a member, and entitled to practise as such, of a legal profession regulated within a jurisdiction outside England and Wales;

• [F10 “manager”, in relation to a body, has the same meaning as in the Legal Services Act 2007 (see section 207 of that Act);]

• [F11 “multi-national partnership” means a partnership whose members consist of one or more registered foreign lawyers and one or more other lawyers as permitted by rules made under section 31 of the Solicitors Act 1974;]

• “recognised body” has the same meaning as in section 9 of the Administration of Justice Act 1985 (management and control by solicitors of incorporated practices); and

• “registered foreign lawyer” means a foreign lawyer who is registered under this section.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 89(3)(a)(iv) substituted (31.3.2009) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 177, 211, Sch. 16 para. 125(a) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2009/503, art. 2(b)(iii) (subject to art. 4)

F2 Words in s. 89(4) substituted (31.3.2009) for s. 89(4)(a)-(d) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 177, 211, Sch. 16 para. 125(b) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2009/503, art. 2(b)(iii) (subject to art. 4)

F3 Words in s. 89(5) substituted (30.6.2008) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 177, 211, Sch. 16 para. 125(c) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2008/1436, art. 2(d)(iii) (as amended by S.I. 2008/1591, art. 2)

F4 Words in s. 89(5)(a) substituted (30.6.2008) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 177, 211, Sch. 16 para. 125(d) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2008/1436, art. 2(d)(iii) (as amended by S.I. 2008/1591, art. 2)

F5 Words in s. 89(6) substituted (30.6.2008) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 177, 211, Sch. 16 para. 125(e) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2008/1436, art. 2(d)(iii) (as amended by S.I. 2008/1591, art. 2)

F6 Words in s. 89(7) substituted (30.6.2008) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 177, 211, Sch. 16 para. 125(f) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2008/1436, art. 2(d)(iii) (as amended by S.I. 2008/1591, art. 2)

F7 Words in s. 89(7)(a) substituted (30.6.2008) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 177, 211, Sch. 16 para. 125(g) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2008/1436, art. 2(d)(iii) (as amended by S.I. 2008/1591, art. 2)

F8 Word in s. 89(7) substituted (31.3.2009) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 177, 211, Sch. 16 para. 125(h) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2009/503, art. 2(b)(iii) (subject to art. 4)

F9 S. 89(8A) inserted (31.3.2009) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 177, 211, Sch. 16 para. 125(i) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2009/503, art. 2(b)(iii) (subject to art. 4)

F10 S. 89(9): definition of "manager" inserted (31.3.2009) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 177, 211, Sch. 16 para. 125(j) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2009/503, art. 2(b)(iii) (subject to art. 4)

F11 S. 89(9): definition of "multi-national partnership" substituted (22.5.2000) by S.I. 2000/1119, regs. 1(1), 37, Sch. 4 para. 14(1)(2)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 89(5)-(7) amended (27.9.1999) by 1999 c.22, s. 48, Sch. 7 para. 15 (with Sch. 14 para. 7(2)); S.I. 1999/2657, art. 2(a)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 89 wholly in force at 14.10.1991 see s. 124(3) and S.I. 1991/1883, art. 3, Sch.