Professional negligence claims and the Code of Conduct

If you have been left out-of-pocket following solicitor service you believe to have been negligent, contact Healys LLP today for information about making a professional negligence claim.

SRA Code of Conduct

The Solicitors Regulation Authority Code of Conduct makes plain the standards demanded from individual solicitors and solicitor firms.The Code of Conduct is not always explicit in its demands. Instead, it often seeks to encourage exemplary service by providing examples of the kinds of Indicative Behaviours and Outcomes solicitors should be aiming to achieve.Failure to follow indicative behaviours may result in solicitors facing regulatory review of their actions. This focus on behaviours and outcomes is in contrast to the previous version of the Code of Conduct, which critics considered to be too prescriptive and believed sometimes amounted to little more than "box ticking".For example, solicitors should seek to ensure that "clients are in a position to make informed decisions about the services they need, how their matter will be handled, and the other options available to them".Furthermore, the Code of Conduct also provides details of the ethical principles solicitors should use in order to underpin their work. These principles oblige solicitors to do the following (which is taken directly from the SRA Handbook):

• Uphold the rule of law and the proper administration of justice;
• Act with integrity;
• Not allow their independence to be compromised;
• Act in the best interests of each client;
• Provide a proper standard of service to their clients;
• Behave in a way that maintains the trust the public places in them and in the provision of legal services;
• Comply with their legal and regulatory obligations and deal with their regulators and ombudsmen in an open, timely, and co-operative manner;
• Run their business or carry out their role in the business effectively and in accordance with proper governance and sound financial and risk management principles;
• Run their business or carry out their role in the business in a way that encourages equality of opportunity and respect for diversity, and
• Protect client money and assets.

In the event that solicitors fail to follow the Code of Conduct, the SRA has a range of sanctions, available to it, including taking cases to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. Severe offenders may be forbidden from ever practising again.

Professional negligence claims with Healys LLP

If you believe that your solicitor has failed to take reasonable care in handling your affairs and you have suffered financial loss as a result, you may be entitled to compensation.The vast majority of professional negligence claims are settled before they ever reach court, whether they are related to late submission of documents, failure to follow court procedure, undersettlement, negligent advice, or some other breach of duty.Healys LLP, based in Brighton and London, have outstanding expertise in handling professional negligence claims and can help you achieve the fullest possible settlement.Simply fill in an enquiry form today and we'll get in touch with you at a time you find convenient.