MySRA comes back to life for non-practising solicitors
Roll renewals expected to run from mid-April to mid-June
The SRA has announced that this year's renewal of the roll exercise for solicitors without a PC will take place online for the first time, through mySRA.
The regulator was forced to abandon the use of mySRA for non-practising solicitors last summer, so it could give priority to PCs and the COLP and COFA nomination process. MySRA has been hit by a series of delays since its launch in 2011.
The regulator dealt with applications for roll renewals on paper in the autumn. The process, which should have started in March 2011, was so far behind that solicitors were charged a single fee for 2012 and 2011.
The SRA said the 2013 keeping of the roll exercise is expected to run from mid-April to mid-June.
Antony Townsend, chief executive of the SRA, said: 'Over the past two years we have been moving our applications and services online to save individuals, firms and the SRA both time and money.
'The SRA will be contacting all individuals eligible to stay on the roll in April, setting out the timescale and encouraging them to complete the relevant application online through mySRA depending on whether they wish to keep their name on the roll of solicitors or request removal from the roll of solicitors.
'We have traditionally made the annual enquiry for keeping of the roll in the spring and we are moving towards that position again.'
A spokesman for the SRA added that solicitors without a practising certificate who had not yet activated their mySRA account and wanted to remain on the roll, would receive a letter in the next few weeks 'asking them to do so as a matter of urgency' so the regulator's records could be updated.
'By following the instructions in the letter the account will be activated.'
The regulator warned that completed applications and payment must be made by the specified deadline, or names could be removed from the roll of solicitors.