The duty in context
Honour professional undertakings profession
The lawyer is personally bound to honour and perform within the agreed or a reasonable time any undertaking given, and must not give an undertaking they cannot fulfil or use one as an improper inducement.
How the codes express this duty
E&W Solicitors SRA Principles & Code CCS 1.3 strong 224 cases
1.3 You perform all undertakings given by you, and do so within an agreed timescale or if no timescale has been agreed then within a reasonable amount of time.
SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs · 2019 · archived copy · official source ↗
E&W Barristers BSB Handbook rC11; gC33 partial 1 case
rC11 You must within an agreed timescale or within a reasonable period of time comply with any undertaking you give in the course of conducting litigation.
BSB Handbook · current · archived copy · official source ↗
Cayman Islands Legal Services Code 2026 R.11.4 strong
An attorney-at-law who has given a personal undertaking to another attorney-at-law or a recognised law entity in the course of practice is personally bound by that undertaking, shall honour that undertaking and shall ensure that it is performed in a timely and effective manner, unless the attorney-at-law is clearly and unequivocally released by the recipient or the Court.
Cayman Islands Legal Services Code of Professional Conduct · 2026 · archived copy
AU Solicitors Solicitors' Conduct Rules Rule 6.1 strong 92 cases
A solicitor who has given an undertaking in the course of legal practice must honour that undertaking and ensure the timely and effective performance of the undertaking, unless released by the recipient or by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules · 2015 (June 2026 compilation) · archived copy · official source ↗
AU Barristers Uniform Barristers Rules no clear equivalent
IE Solicitors Law Society Guide Ch6 — Undertakings: General; General guidance on undertakings strong 84 cases
A solicitor is required to honour the terms of an undertaking as a matter of professional conduct. A breach of an undertaking is a matter of professional misconduct... An undertaking should not be given by a solicitor as an inducement to a client to secure that client's business... A solicitor who gives an undertaking that is expressed to be dependent upon the happening of a future event should notify the recipient promptly if it becomes clear that the event will not occur.
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 VI(c); Canon VI(d); Canon VI(e) strong 25 cases
(c) An Attorney shall not commit a breach of an undertaking given by him to a Judge, a Court or other tribunal or an official thereof ... (d) An Attorney shall not give a professional undertaking which he cannot fulfil and shall fulfil every such undertaking which he gives.
Legal Profession (Canons of Professional Ethics) Rules · 1978 (principal) · archived copy · official source ↗
JE Lawyers Law Society of Jersey Code R.10.4 strong
A member who has given, or whose employee has given, an undertaking to another member or the firm of another member in the course of practice is personally bound by that undertaking and must honour that undertaking and ensure that it is performed in a timely and effective manner.
Law Society of Jersey Code of Conduct · 1 January 2017 · archived copy · official source ↗
ON Lawyers LSO Rules of Prof. Conduct r 7.2-11; r 5.1-6 strong
7.2-11 A lawyer shall not give an undertaking that cannot be fulfilled and shall fulfill every undertaking given and honour every trust condition once accepted. [5.1-6: A lawyer must strictly and scrupulously fulfill any undertakings given by him or her and honour any trust conditions accepted in the course of litigation.]
Law Society of Ontario — Rules of Professional Conduct · current · archived copy · official source ↗
BC Lawyers BC Code r 7.2-11 strong 7 cases
A lawyer must: (a) not give an undertaking that cannot be fulfilled; (b) fulfill every undertaking given; and (c) honour every trust condition once accepted.
Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia (BC Code) · 2017 · archived copy · official source ↗
NZ Lawyers Conduct & Client Care Rules r 10.5 strong
A lawyer must honour all undertakings, whether written or oral, that the lawyer gives to any person in the course of practice.
Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008 · SR 2008/214 · archived copy · official source ↗
SCO Solicitors LSS Standards of Conduct B1.14 partial 8 cases
You must act with other regulated persons in a manner consistent with persons having mutual trust and confidence in each other.
Law Society of Scotland — Practice Rules 2011, Rule B1 (Standards of Conduct) · 2011 · archived copy · official source ↗
SG Lawyers Professional Conduct Rules 2015 r 7 (Responsibilities of legal practitioners to each other) partial 6 cases
7 Responsibilities of legal practitioners to each other
Legal Profession (Professional Conduct) Rules 2015 · 2015 · archived copy · official source ↗
HK Solicitors Solicitors' Guide Principle 14.02 / Principle 14.01 strong
A solicitor must honour the terms of a professional undertaking. ... An undertaking shall only be given by a solicitor and is binding upon him personally, and if given in the course of practice, also binds his firm. ... an undertaking should never be given unless the solicitor giving it is certain that he personally can comply with it.
Hong Kong Solicitors' Guide to Professional Conduct (Volume 1) · current · archived copy · official source ↗
HK Barristers Bar Code of Conduct para 10.4 strong
A practising barrister, while engaging in practice, must not give any undertaking that cannot be fulfilled and must fulfil every undertaking that has been given by him.
Code of Conduct of the Bar of the Hong Kong SAR · 2018 · archived copy · official source ↗
Cases dealing with this duty
84 decisions · link basis: found breached = a tribunal finding; rule cited = the mapped provision is cited in the decision; text match = high-precision text pattern
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Michelle Cronin
In the matter of Michelle Cronin, a solicitor previously practising as Michelle Cronin Solicitors at Kennedy Buildings, 24 Main Street, Tallaght Village, Dublin 24 [2020/DT13 and High Court record 2022 no 3SA] Law Socie…
conditions View decision -
James (Seamus) Doody
In the matter of James (Seamus) Doody, solicitor, practising in Doody Solicitors, 21 South Mall, Cork, and in the matter of an application by the Law Society of Ireland to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal [2017/DT84…
strike_off View decision -
James (Seamus) Doody
In the matter of James (Seamus) Doody, solicitor, practising in Doody Solicitors, 21 South Mall, Cork, and in the matter of an application by the Law Society of Ireland to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal [6285/DT17…
strike_off View decision -
Maurice B O’Sullivan
In the matter of Maurice B O’Sullivan, a solicitor practising as Maurice O’Sullivan & Company Solicitors, at 9 Colbert Street, Listowel, Co Kerry, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2015 [2017/DT24, 2017/DT38…
strike_off View decision -
Michael Doody
In the matter of Michael Doody, solicitor, principal at Doody Solicitors, 21 South Mall, Cork, and in the matter of an application by the Law Society of Ireland to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal [2017/DT85 and 201…
other View decision -
Damien Cassidy
In the matter of Damien Cassidy, a solicitor practising as Walker & Co, Solicitors, 22 Sandymount Road, Dublin 4, and in the matter of an application by the Law Society of Ireland to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal…
strike_off View decision -
Thomas O’Donoghue
In the matter of Thomas O’Donoghue, a solicitor formerly practising as principal of O’Donoghue & Co, Solicitors, 2 Egan’s Lane, Tuam, Co Galway, and in the matter of an application by the Law Society of Ireland to the S…
strike_off View decision -
Paul Cunningham
In the matter of Paul Cunningham, solicitor, formerly practising as Cunningham Solicitors, 8 Emily Square, Athy, Co Kildare, and in the matter of an application by the Law Society of Ireland to the Solicitors Disciplina…
strike_off View decision -
Neil Corbett
In the matter of Neil Corbett, a solicitor formerly practising as principal of Neil Corbett Solicitors, Davis Building, Lower Main Street, Mallow, Co Cork, and in the matter of an application by the Law Society of Irela…
conditions View decision -
Patrick Callanan
In the matter of Patrick Callanan, and in the matter of an application by the Law Society of Ireland to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2015 [7251/DT88/10]; High Court…
strike_off View decision -
John Mark McFeely
In the matter of John Mark McFeely, a solicitor previously practising as Hegarty & McFeely Solicitors at 10 Queen Street, Derry BT48 7EX, Northern Ireland, and at 27 Clarendon Street, Derry BT48 7EX, Northern Ireland, a…
strike_off View decision -
Daniel (Donal) Downes
In the matter of Daniel (Donal) Downes, a solicitor formerly practising as O’Dea & Company, Solicitors, 1st floor, Hardiman House, Eyre Square, Galway, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 [4298/DT46/14; 4…
strike_off View decision -
Henry Joseph Arigho
In the matter of Henry Joseph Arigho, a solicitor formerly practising as Henry Arigho & Co, Solicitors, Main Street, Moate, Co Westmeath, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 [3452/DT61/13, 3452/DT62/13, 3…
other View decision -
Deirdre Fahy
In the matter of Deirdre Fahy, a solicitor previously practising as D Fahy & Associates, Solicitors, at 69 Main Street, Blackrock, Co Dublin, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 [5471/DT163/15; DT164/15; …
strike_off View decision -
James (Seamus) G Doody
In the matter of James (Seamus) G Doody, practising as a partner in Doody Solicitors, 21 South Mall, Cork, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 [6285/DT105/14, 6285/DT105/13, 6285/DT187/13 and High Court r…
conditions View decision -
Michael Crawford
In the matter of Michael Crawford, a solicitor formerly practising as Michael Crawford, Solicitor, Lurganboy, Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 [5022/DT194/13; 5022/DT01/14; 5…
other View decision -
Edward A (otherwise Eamonn) Kelly
In the matter of Edward A Kelly (otherwise Eamonn Kelly), previously practising as Eamonn Kelly, Solicitor, at Iveragh Road, Killorglin, Co Kerry, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 [5754/DT47/14; DT48/1…
strike_off View decision -
Deirdre M Fahy
In the matter of Deirdre M Fahy, a solicitor previously practising as D Fahy & Associates, Solicitors, 69 Main Street, Blackrock, Co Dublin, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 [5471/DT137/13; DT138/13; D…
strike_off View decision -
Elizabeth McGrath
In the matter of Elizabeth McGrath, a former solicitor previously practising as O’Connell McGrath Solicitors at 5 Athlunkard Street, Limerick, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 [11016/DT21/14; 11016/DT6…
strike_off View decision -
Thomas G Myles
In the matter of Thomas G Myles, a solicitor formerly practising as Myles & Co, Solicitors, 21 Hillside, Monaghan, Co Monaghan, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 [4961/DT106/14 and High Court record 201…
strike_off View decision -
Robert Sweeney
In the matter of Robert Sweeney, a solicitor previously practising as Robert Sweeney, First Floor, Crossview House, High Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 [10658/DT130/14;…
strike_off View decision -
Cindy McCarthy Yates
In the matter of Cindy McCarthy Yates, a solicitor previously practising as McCarthy Solicitors at 4 The Gully, Bandon, Co Cork, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 [12313/DT24/14; 12313/DT44/14; 12313/DT…
strike_off View decision -
Cindy McCarthy Yates
In the matter of Cindy McCarthy Yates, a solicitor previously practising as McCarthy Solicitors at 5 The Old Market, Market Square, Bandon, Co Cork, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 [12313/DT86/13 and …
strike_off View decision -
Alexander Gibbons
In the matter of Alexander Gibbons, a solicitor formerly practising as Gibbons & Co, 2 Riverside, Kent Street, Clonakilty, Co Cork, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 [5839/DT119/12; 5839/DT147/12; 5839/…
strike_off View decision -
Elizabeth M Cazabon
In the matter of Elizabeth M Cazabon, a solicitor of Cazabon Solicitors, Gray Office Park, Galway Retail Park, Headford, Co Galway, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 [8142/DT05/14, 8142/DT22/14, 8142/DT…
strike_off View decision
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.