Solicitor and Lay Members are appointed by the Master of the Rolls for a 3 year term which he may renew.

Vacancies in the Tribunal membership occur from time to time.  Interest can be communicated to The Clerk to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, 5th Floor, Gate House, 1 Farringdon Street, London EC4M 7NS.   Vacancies are filled following an open and transparent competition.

The following should be noted:

(a) Membership of the Tribunal involves a commitment to devote sufficient time to the Tribunal's affairs. This will probably amount to about 12 days sitting in a year plus time needed for preparation and (after the hearing) settling findings (estimated at a further 12 days).

(b) Tribunal Members are expected to attend two training days one of which is combined with the Tribunal's AGM which is usually held towards the end of May each year. Tribunal Members may also need time to make sure they are up to date with practice and procedure before the Tribunal and current legal issues affecting its work.

(c) In the recent past cases have tended to be contested and to take some time. Tribunal Members may therefore be asked to sit for more than one day consecutively. Hearings sometimes require a number of days of the Tribunal's time.

(d) Members at present are remunerated for sitting days and receive reimbursement of expenses.

In the case of applications from solicitors

(e) The Tribunal welcomes applications from solicitors for membership from a wide number of sources and no application will be disadvantaged because of geographical location or the size of practice or firm nor race, creed, colour, ethnic origin or sexual orientation. The Tribunal is only interested in securing the most suitable applicants who are willing and able to devote the necessary time to the performance of their duties and who together are representative of the solicitors' profession.

(f) Solicitor applicants should note the following requirements:-

(i) a member of the Tribunal must be of not less than 10 years' standing.

(ii) no member of the Tribunal may be a member of the Council of the Law Society nor have a connection with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

(g) Lay Members may not be members of the legal profession.

(h) the Tribunal seeks Lay Members from a wide and diverse constituency. Short biographical details of existing Lay Members will be found in the Tribunal's Annual Report (available on this website).

(i) No application will be disadvantaged because of the race, creed, colour, ethnic origin or sexual orientation of the applicant. The Tribunal is only interested in securing the most suitable applicants who are willing and able to devote the necessary time to the performance of their duties.

Hearings will usually take place in the Tribunal's Court Room at Gate House, 1 Farringdon Street, London EC4 and usually commence at 10. a.m.   If a sitting is for a whole day, refreshments are provided.

The Solicitors Act 1974 and Rules made there under provide for hearings before a division of the Tribunal consisting of 2 Solicitor Members (one of whom acts as Chairman) and 1 Lay Member.