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I would guess that the SDT will take a least a month to decide whether to certify a case to answer in a situation like this. It should decide that issue itself, not by reference to anything said to it by the SRA. It can't sensibly take into account the SRA's views (if that is what has happened) without also inviting the solicitors to make representations.

If there is a prima facie case in the Rule 5 statement, it should certify that case; the solicitors can then try to strike it out if they want to. But the case is a hot potato, so who knows what the SDT will do with it.