The Solicitors' Disciplinary Tribunal constitutionally is independent of the Law Society and is established by virtue of Section 46 Solicitors Act 1974. It is largely funded by the Law Society. Its members are appointed by the Master of the Rolls and are either solicitors of not less than ten years' standing or lay-members who must be neither solicitors nor barristers. There is no statutory limit on the total number of members of the Tribunal but at present it comprises forty solicitor members and twenty lay-members.

For the purpose of hearing and determining applications, the Tribunal members sit in divisions of three, comprising two solicitor members and one lay-member. A solicitor is the Chairman of the division.

The Tribunal is empowered, with the concurrence of the Master of the Rolls, to make rules governing its procedure and this power is exercisable by statutory instrument.