/Professional Conduct Flashcards
Professional Conduct:
Can you accept REFERRAL and FEE sharing payments in relation to CIVIL matters?
YES - but the client MUST be made AWARE of them and the arrangement must be in WRITING
Professional Conduct:
Can you accept REFERRAL and FEE sharing payments in relation to CRIMINAL matters?
NO
Professional Conduct:
Can you accept REFERRAL and FEE sharing payments in relation to CIVIL matters for PERSONAL INJURY (PI)
NO - cannot pay or receive
Professional Conduct:
Who can give an UNDERTAKING?
ANYONE in the firm can be in writing or oral NEED NOT include the word ‘undertaking’
Professional Conduct:
Can you accept a COMMISSION from a third party?
YES - but need to satisfy the firm’s Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP) that the referral is in the interest of the client and the client is aware of the payment.
Professional Conduct:
What is an ‘own interest conflict’?
One that directly affects you:
- financial interest of you / someone close
- personal / business relationship
- your role as an employee
- your own conduct
Professional Conduct:
Can you act where there is an OWN interest conflict?
NO - there are NO exceptions
Professional Conduct:
What is a conflict of interest?
“Any situation where your separate duties to act in the best interests of two or more clients in the same or related matter conflict”
Professional Conduct:
Can you act where there is a conflict of interest?
NO - unless one of the two EXCEPTIONS apply
Professional Conduct:
What are the two EXCEPTIONS to conflict of interest?
- Substantially COMMON interest exception
- Competing for the SAME objective exception
AND
- informed CONSENT from ALL clients
- safeguards are put in place
- reasonable for you to act for all clients
Professional Conduct:
What is required for the “Substantially common interest exception”?
- clear common purpose
- strong consensus as to how to achieve the common purpose.
- clients have given their consent in writing
- safegaurds have been put in place
- you are satisfied that it is reasonable for you to act
Professional Conduct:
What is required for the “Substantially common interest exception”?
an objective which, if obtained by one client will make that objective unattainable to all other clients including
- liquidation,
- auction or
- tender
- but not a public takeover
AND
- informed consent from all clients
- safeguards are put in place
- reasonable for you to act for all clients
Professional Conduct:
When is the duty of confidentiality overridden?
- Statute (HMRC etc.)
- Reporting requirements (Money Laundering etc.)
- To defend a claim brought against you by the client
- Abuse of children
Talk to COLP first
Professional Conduct:
What is the duty of DISCLOSURE?
You MUST make a client aware of all information material to the matter of which you have KNOWLEDGE
Professional Conduct:
Does the duty belong to the solicitor or to the firm?
The solicitor, therefore no obligation to make client aware of all info held by the firm that YOU ARE NOT aware of.