Solicitors

Roles

Meeting with clients

Taking instructions from clients

Drafting letters, contracts and other legal documents.

Negotiating

Advocacy

Number

currently about 140,000 practising solicitors in England and Wales. Most work together in private practice

Law Society

governing body of solicitors. It exists “to represent, promote and support all solicitors, so they in turn can help their clients”.

Solicitors’ Regulation Authority (SRA)

sets the training standards for entry into the profession. It also sets a code of conduct for solicitors and deals with complaints about professional misconduct.

Making a complaint against a solicitor

Initially complaint made directly to solicitor or firm

if matter not resolved, complaint made to SRA - in serious cases, Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal can fine, suspend or even strike off solicitors

if complaintant unhappy - may take the matter to the Legal Ombudsman - power to ask the solicitor to apologise to the client, give back any documents the client might need, refund or reduce legal fees or pay compensation of up to £50,000.

possibility of suing the solicitor in the civil courts - White v Jones