BS: Solicitor woes.

Subject: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: Rman
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 07:51 AM

Is there any redress against a solicitor(spit) who isn't looking after his clients interests "properly"?

I suppose asking another solicitor(spit)to challenge him or her would be tantamount to asking them to eat their own children!

N.

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 08:04 AM

Try the Law Society. If they can't help, they will tell you who can.

I'm assuming from the use of the term solicitor that this is a UK question.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: Ernest
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 08:13 AM

Solicitors aren`t just colleagues - they are also competitors.

So surely another one might help you (if you don`t spit at him first, that is). It is not unusual to claim something from a competitor. After all it is your claim not his.

He won`t do that for charity, though.

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 08:14 AM

Yes the Law Society is the place to go, try here.
G.

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: jacqui.c
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 08:15 AM

A friend of mine had this problem a couple of years back. She complained to the Law Society who lit a fire under the recalcitrant firm and she got great treatment after that.

Solicitors are no different from any other service organisation - you pay their wages and they should do the job properly.

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: Midchuck
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 08:50 AM

Based on my knowledge of law practice in Vermont, USA, which isn't really relevant except by analogy, you would have recourse by a complaint to the Professional Conduct Board of the State Supreme Court, or by hiring another lawyer and suing the first one. (There are many who will do it, although you might have to go out of town - no one wants to s*** in his own nest.) Or both, of course.

Peter.

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 09:59 AM

The Law Society is the professional body in UK to which you may complain

Obviously there are always two sides (at least) to a story!

I would have thought that simply stating that you are unhappy and mentioning the Law Society would bring better service from your lawyer

Ray

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: jacqui.c
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 10:44 AM

Doesn't always happen Ray - my friend tried that one first and got nowhere. The big stick needs to be wielded before some of these guys will behave.

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 11:26 AM

Watching a bi-partisan panel from the American Bar Association on CSpan the other night, reminded me how tiresome it is when people make such rude comments about the profession. We expect them to defend us in court, write up wills, etc. which will protect our property and families, yet we feel no compunction in constantly denigrating them. I was quite proud of the ABA reps and wish we had all of them in Congress.

It's just like any other profession...there will be bad ones, but the whole profession does not deserve the bad rap it gets all of the time, imo.

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 12:07 PM

Friend of mine got ripped off big time over the probate of her husband's will, this solicitor was a cousin of her late husband too. It cost her shedloads, and eventually the guy got struck off, but she got no compensation, and as it was in such sad circumstances she didn't want to pursue it.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 01:45 PM

The advice about the Law Society is sound.

The client ought to have received a so-called "rule 15" letter when first instructing the firm, often also called a "client care letter". It should specify to whom to complain. The firm is professionally OBLIGED to have a complaints procedure and to provide it on request.

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: Folkiedave
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 02:22 PM

A number of firms advertise such a service in Private Eye.

But Richard would know best!!

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 03:17 PM

Of course there are some solicitirs who don't do their job properly, but in a system where in many cases one side wins and the other loses it is inevitable that a large proportion of solicitors' clients are going to be disappointed.

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 04:14 PM

Solicitors' work is not limited to litigation.

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 03:58 AM

Incidentally, there are things a solicitor is not allowed to do even if the client so wishes - for example mislead the court, knowingly advance an untruth, backdate a document, assert fraud without cogent evidence, etc.

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: Rman
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 08:26 AM

The solicitor in question hasn't kept his eye on the ball and in allowing too much time to pass without acting, combined with new legislation being churned out, I'm concerned his tardiness will cost me dearly.

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: jacqui.c
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 08:28 AM

The problems that I and a friend had with solicitors were basically not doing the job. Information requested and documents required were not provided to the relevant parties within the time frame set out and getting a return phone seemed to be absolutely impossible. My dealings were over the purchase of a house and my friend's her divorce proceedings and these were different solicitors.

I just got ugly on the phone to the senior partner after finding out that the guy dealing with my case had sat on necessary documents for two weeks without doing anything. I got results. My friend had to complain to the Law Society as nothing else got her people moving, not even a formal complaint to the firm.

I had a lot of experience dealing with litigation in my job and must say that the majority of solicitors that I dealt with were very good at what they did. However, there were a few that I certainly would not have recommended to anyone pursuing a claim for injury following a car accident!

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: Rman
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 03:42 PM

I'm having precisely the same problems your friend experienced Jacqui.

Did the law society chivvy them up?

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 03:50 PM

If you have complained to senior partner and have not been provided with the complaints procedure or progress, please do go to the Law Society. They will probably put a big rocket. They can impose substantial penalties on solicitors for inadequate professional service.

Subject: RE: BS: Solicitor woes.
From: jacqui.c
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 06:26 PM

It did - she got first class treatment after that.