Respondents are entitled, but not required, to be legally represented by a solicitor and/or barrister. The SDT does not provide or pay for legal representation. 

The Applicant is the body or person bringing the case against the Respondent. The Applicant may be represented by a solicitor or barrister.

Any person can make an application direct to the Tribunal against a solicitor.  A person making such an application is called a "Lay Applicant”. 

In some cases the Applicant will be a former solicitor or solicitor making an application to be restored to the Roll or to end a suspension.  There are other types of application that a solicitor might make, such as to vary conditions on practice imposed by the Tribunal.  In these cases the person making the application is the Applicant. 

If a solicitor or solicitor's employee appeals to the Tribunal against certain deicsions of the SRA, they will be called the Appellant. 

The Respondent is the person appearing before the Tribunal, against whom the allegations have been made.

The Respondent is sometimes the SRA, in cases where a solicitor is the Applicant for restoration, for example, or where a solicitor or employee is appealing against an SRA decision. 

The clerk to the case supports and advises the Division on points of law and procedure.  

They are responsible for the smooth running of the case, for co-ordinating attendees on the day and for taking notes of the proceedings. 

The clerk will come and talk to you in the discussion room to deal with any matters or questions that arise on the day, and will collect you when the hearing is going to start. 

The clerk writes up the reasons for the Tribunal's decisions in a draft Judgment which the Members of the Division amend and approve before signature by the Chair on behalf of the Division. 

The clerk is responsible for recording the hearing, reading out the number and name of the case at the start of each hearing day, administering oaths and affirmations to witnesses, providing information about previous SDT disciplinary findings when invited to do so by the Chair and acting as the first point of contact between the Division and the parties.

Solicitor Members are solicitors who, when appointed and during their period of appointment, are practising solicitors of not less than ten years’ standing.  They bring their practical experience as a solicitor to bear on the Tribunal's decisions.

The Tribunal, which is usually called a Division, is chaired by an experienced Solicitor Member.  The Chair is responsible for managing the hearing and for asking questions of the parties as the case progresses.  The Chair delivers decisions on behalf of the Division during the hearing and signs off the final Order and Judgment.

Lay Members are individuals drawn from a wide and diverse range of personal and professional backgrounds who are neither solicitors nor barristers. Their role is to represent the views of the general public and the public interest.

The Members of the Division and clerk to the case use their private retiring room for their deliberations. When they are about to enter the court room the clerk will knock on the door to warn those present in court that they must stand up and remain standing until the Division Members have been seated.