The Tribunal is constituted as a Statutory Tribunal under Section 46 of The Solicitors' Act 1974.

The Tribunal adjudicates upon alleged breaches of rules or Code of professional conduct which are designed to protect the public and maintain the reputation of the solicitors' profession for honesty, probity, trustworthiness independence and integrity.

The Tribunal has power to strike off a solicitor from the Roll, suspend from practice, fine or reprimand. Fines are payable to H M Treasury. The Tribunal can award costs but not compensation.

The Tribunal also adjudicates upon the alleged misconduct of registered foreign lawyers and persons employed by solicitors and hears applications for restoration to the Roll. The Tribunal's decisions can be the subject of appeal to the High Court.

The Tribunal currently has about 60 members all of whom are appointed by the Senior Judge called The Master of the Rolls. Two thirds are Solicitor Members and one third Lay drawn from a variety of backgrounds. Brief biographical details of Tribunal Members and of the Clerk and her staff are shown in the Tribunal's Annual Reports.

Solicitor Members are wholly independent of the Council of the Law Society and have no connection with the Solicitors Regulation Authority, which instigates over 90% of the cases dealt with by the Tribunal.

Recent legislation provides for changes in the Tribunal's funding arrangements and the payment of its members for presiding at hearings.