SRA Character Suitability Test

[dawn25]

Hi,

I am looking for some advice. I am due to start the LPC/Masters in September and the firm I work for have confirmed they will provide me with a training contract.

I have a debt relief order on my record which is not due to expire until 2024. I was a victim of domestic violence and was financial abused as debts were ran up in my name which is the reason for the order.

When will I have to take the character suitability test? My masters/LPC is 1 year full time so that would take me to September 2023. The training contract is 2 years so that take me to September 2025 by which time the order will be removed from my record.

I am hoping that I wont need to take the suitability test until 2025 but can anyone advice if this is the case and if its not the case whether the debt relief order will result in refusal.

Many thanks for your help.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi,

I am looking for some advice. I am due to start the LPC/Masters in September and the firm I work for have confirmed they will provide me with a training contract.

I have a debt relief order on my record which is not due to expire until 2024. I was a victim of domestic violence and was financial abused as debts were ran up in my name which is the reason for the order.

When will I have to take the character suitability test? My masters/LPC is 1 year full time so that would take me to September 2023. The training contract is 2 years so that take me to September 2025 by which time the order will be removed from my record.

I am hoping that I wont need to take the suitability test until 2025 but can anyone advice if this is the case and if its not the case whether the debt relief order will result in refusal.

Many thanks for your help.

Hi @dawn25

You can actually start the suitability test early and given your circumstances, I would advise doing this now if you can.

I am not 100% sure of the technicalities around debt orders, but it may mean you on the face of it that you would not pass the suitability test based on section 5 of the suitability assessment:


However, you have mitigating circumstances and the SRA will consider those. It will be important to line up any documentation that proves the abuse, and any character references that may be able to support your application who were aware of the circumstances you experienced and can provide a testimony to suggest without these circumstances there would be no reason to question your suitability.

You’d still need to declare the debt order in 2025, even if it had expired and so I think it would be best to start this process sooner rather than later.

This page on the SRA website might be worth a read: https://www.sra.org.uk/become-solicitor/character-and-suitability/