The duty in context
Prompt accounting and return of money money
The lawyer must pay client money promptly into the client account, keep it available, account to the client, and return it promptly once there is no proper reason to hold it.
How the codes express this duty
E&W Solicitors SRA Principles & Code SAR Rule 2.3; SAR Rule 2.4; SAR Rule 2.5 strong 369 cases
2.3 You ensure that client money is paid promptly into a client account unless: ... 2.4 You ensure that client money is available on demand unless you agree an alternative arrangement in writing with the client, or the third party for whom the money is held. 2.5 You ensure that client money is returned promptly to the client, or the third party for whom the money is held, as soon as there is no longer any proper reason to hold those funds.
Solicitors Accounts Rules · 2019 · archived copy · official source ↗
E&W Barristers BSB Handbook no clear equivalent
Cayman Islands Legal Services Code 2026 R.9.1; R.9.2 partial
A recognised law entity shall properly account to clients for any financial benefit it receives as a result of instructions, except where they have agreed otherwise.
Cayman Islands Legal Services Code of Professional Conduct · 2026 · archived copy
AU Solicitors Solicitors' Conduct Rules no clear equivalent
AU Barristers Uniform Barristers Rules no clear equivalent
IE Solicitors Law Society Guide Ch9 — Responsibility for clients' monies; Ch2 — Accounting for monies strong 56 cases
When client funds are received, they must be lodged without delay in a client account at an approved bank... A solicitor should return clients' monies held in a client account on behalf of a client in respect of a specific matter after the conclusion of the provision of legal services to that client in respect of that matter.
Solicitor's Guide to Professional Conduct (Law Society of Ireland) · 4th ed. (2022) · archived copy · official source ↗
IE Barristers Bar Code of Conduct no clear equivalent
JM Attorneys Canons of Professional Ethics Canon VII(b)(ii) partial 107 cases
account to his client for all monies in the hands of the Attorney for the account or credit of the client, whenever reasonably required to do so
Legal Profession (Canons of Professional Ethics) Rules · 1978 (principal) · archived copy · official source ↗
JE Lawyers Law Society of Jersey Code G.1.33 partial
On the termination of a retainer, a member must account to the client for any money still held on behalf of the client and if so requested deliver to the client all papers or property to which the client is entitled, or otherwise held to the client's order.
Law Society of Jersey Code of Conduct · 1 January 2017 · archived copy · official source ↗
ON Lawyers LSO Rules of Prof. Conduct r 3.5-6; r 3.5-3 strong
3.5-6 A lawyer shall account promptly for a client's property that is in the lawyer's custody and upon request shall deliver it to the order of the client or, if appropriate, at the conclusion of the retainer. [3.5-3 A lawyer shall promptly notify the client of the receipt of any money or other property of the client, unless satisfied that the client is aware that they have come into the lawyer's custody.]
Law Society of Ontario — Rules of Professional Conduct · current · archived copy · official source ↗
BC Lawyers BC Code r 3.5-6 strong 13 cases
A lawyer must account promptly for clients' property that is in the lawyer's custody and deliver it to the order of the client on request or, if appropriate, at the conclusion of the retainer.
Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia (BC Code) · 2017 · archived copy · official source ↗
NZ Lawyers Conduct & Client Care Rules r 9.6 partial
A lawyer must render a final account to the client or person charged within a reasonable time of concluding a matter or the retainer being otherwise terminated. The lawyer must provide with the account sufficient information to identify the matter, the period to which it relates, and the work undertaken.
Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008 · SR 2008/214 · archived copy · official source ↗
SCO Solicitors LSS Standards of Conduct no clear equivalent
SG Lawyers Professional Conduct Rules 2015 r 16 (Client money) partial 11 cases
16 Client money
Legal Profession (Professional Conduct) Rules 2015 · 2015 · archived copy · official source ↗
HK Solicitors Solicitors' Guide Principle 5.23 partial
On termination a solicitor should, subject to any lien, promptly deliver to the client ... all papers and property to which the client is entitled or hold them to his order and account for all funds of the client then held by the solicitor.
Hong Kong Solicitors' Guide to Professional Conduct (Volume 1) · current · archived copy · official source ↗
HK Barristers Bar Code of Conduct no clear equivalent
Cases dealing with this duty
665 decisions · link basis: found breached = a tribunal finding; rule cited = the mapped provision is cited in the decision; text match = high-precision text pattern
-
Gordon Mcpherson Keir
Account Rules breaches, Breaches, Code of Conduct for Firms 2019, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, Lack of Integrity, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2011, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Pr…
-
Fiona Jane Smith
Account Rules breaches, Breaches, Code of Conduct for Firms 2019, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, Lack of Integrity, Misappropriation of Client Account, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SR…
-
Kamaljit Singh Grewal
Rule 3-7.1 Consent Agreement
-
Richard Jefferies
Authorisation of Individuals Regulations 2019, Breaches, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, Lack of Integrity, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Principles 2019
-
Steven David Simpkins
Breaches, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Lack of Integrity, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, SRA Principles 2019
-
Shashi Patel
Breaches, Code of Conduct for Firms 2019, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, Lack of Integrity, Money Laundering Regulations, Solicitors Accounts Rules 1998, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2011, …
-
Mark Grenville Davies
Code of Conduct 2011, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2011, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Principles 2011, SRA Principles 2019
-
Sarinjit Singh Bahia
Account Rules breaches, Code of Conduct 2011, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, Lack of Integrity, Misappropriation of Client Account, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Principles 2011, S…
-
William David Owen
In July 2025, the Practitioner deposited client settlement money, being trust money as defined in Schedule 2, clause 1 of the Legal Practitioner’s Act 1981 (Act), into the firm’s office account rather than the firm’s ge…
Multiple Disciplinary Action Conditions on Practising Certificate Reprimand View decision -
Mohamed Faisal Mamon
Breaches, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Indemnity Insurance Rules, Recklessness, SRA Principles 2019
-
Christopher Yiannakas; Nicholas George Kephalas; YVA Solicitors LLP
Code of Conduct for Firms 2019, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Principles 2019
-
Mark Christopher Sander
1. On 1 May 2014, the Practitioner opened a trust account. The Legal Practitioners Act 1981 (Act) imposes obligations on Practitioners who open trust accounts including an obligation to provide written notice of the ope…
Multiple Disciplinary Action Conditions on Practising Certificate Fine Reprimand Submit to medical treatment / counselling View decision -
Andrew Brian Alexander Cooper
Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2011, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Principles 2011, SRA Principles 2019
-
Shahid Ali
Breaches, Client Money, Code of Conduct 2011, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2011, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Principles 2011, SRA Principles 2019
-
Gavin Clarke
Breaches, Client Money, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, SRA Principles 2019
-
(unnamed)
Client Money, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Money Laundering Regulations, Solicitors' Accounts Rules
-
-
Stefanie Anne O’Bryen
Breaches, Code of Conduct for Firms 2019, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Money Laundering Regulations, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019
-
Gordon Wayne Ruley
Rule 3-7.1 Consent Agreement
-
David James Chalcraft
Code of Conduct 2011, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2011, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Principles 2011, SRA Principles 2019
-
Grubisa, Dominique
Proceedings no. 2022/00387737 (First Application) 1. Mrs Grubisa was the principal of a law practice which had lay associates who were disqualified persons under the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) and who were not a…
Costs Order recommending removal of lawyer's name from the Roll of Australian Lawyers $0.00 1 PDF View decision -
Nigel John Weller
Breaches, Client Money, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Principles 2019
-
Elizabeth Jane Radcliffe
Breaches, Client Money, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Principles 2011, SRA Principles 2019
-
Walker, Brian David
In the course of Mr Walker acting for a direct access client he: directed the client to pay and accepted his legal fees in advance of performing the legal work and did so contrary to the requirements of cl 15(2) of the …
Reprimand $0.00 About About the OLSC The Commissioner History Mission statement Structure Contact Contact the OLSC Give us your feedback: online surveys Access to information (GIPAA) Community information Information for lawyers Fact sheets FAQs Other regulatory and complaint-handling organisations Contact LawAccess NSW for legal information " You and Your Lawyer", Hot Topics 78 Legal Information Access Centre (LIAC), State Library of NSW , provides access to information about the law in NSW regarding your lawyer Privacy Copyright and Disclaimer Website accessibility View decision -
William Joseph Harris
Breaches, Client Money, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, Lack of Integrity, Money Laundering Regulations, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Principles 2011, SRA Principles 2019
Duty classification does not yet cover every jurisdiction (Ontario, New Zealand and Singapore decisions are indexed but not yet duty-classified), so counts here understate those corpora.