Professional Negligence by a Solicitor or Barrister
If you have received bad advice or poor litigation services from your solicitor or barrister and your case is ongoing, we can often take over the case with a view to minimising the effects of the negligent service you have received so far.
Alternatively, if a solicitor or barrister fails to provide competent legal advice or fails to make adequate representation in court proceedings, and you suffer loss as a result, then you may be able to claim against that professional for damages.
Solicitors
No two solicitors negligence claims are ever the same. Different issues arise in each case, which is what makes this area of law so fascinating. However, there are a number of scenarios that crop up on a regular basis. Here are some of the usual suspects:
- A solicitor has missed the limitation date
- A solicitor has caused your claim to be struck out by the court
- A solicitor has failed to identify a defect in the title to your property
- A solicitors has made an error in drafting a lease
- A solicitor has undersettled your personal injury claim
- A solicitor has sued the wrong party
- A solicitor has failed to administer a deceased’s estate correctly
- A solicitor has failed to serve a notice on your behalf by a given deadline
- A solicitor has failed to advise you about planning permission and building regulations
- A solicitor has failed to draft a will properly
Where the problem is restricted to poor service then you might be best advised to deal with the matter using the solicitor’s complaints system. And if that does not resolve the dispute then the case can be referred to the Legal Ombudsman who is now in charge of dealing with complaints against solicitors. The Legal Ombudsman has the power to award compensation against the solicitor for inadequate service.
However, if your claim concerns negligence resulting in financial loss, then you should contact us for a free assessment of the merits of your claim.
Barristers
Claims against a barrister often involve the fact that they have:
- Failed to meet a court deadline, meaning that your claim is struck out.
- Given negligent advice to settle a claim for less than it is worth.
- Provided negligent advocacy.
- Not drafted the court documents properly.
Neither of the above is an exhaustive list but do illustrate typical claims that arise against solicitors or barristers.
No win – No fee
We routinely undertake negligent cases on a no win – no fee basis, subject to the losses exceeding the small claims court limit of £10,000 and the merits of the case being sufficiently strong. We are always happy to review cases and let you know whether it is a matter we can deal with on a no win – no fee basis.
So, if you have a claim valued at more than £10,000, please don’t be deterred from getting in contact. Just use our short online form or call us and we’ll be happy to hear about your situation with no obligation on your part. One of our specialist solicitors will call you back promptly for an initial free consultation where we can begin to advise you on whether you have a case and what happens next.
