The duty in context
Keep client informed and respond promptly client
The lawyer must keep the client informed of progress, respond to correspondence and calls within a reasonable time, and treat the client fairly throughout.
How the codes express this duty
E&W Solicitors SRA Principles & Code CCS 3.2; CCS 8.6 partial 187 cases
3.2 You ensure that the service you provide to clients is competent and delivered in a timely manner. 8.6 You give clients information in a way they can understand.
SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs · 2019 · archived copy · official source ↗
E&W Barristers BSB Handbook gC38; gC41 partial 2 cases
gC38 ... a competent standard of work and of service also includes: .1 treating each client with courtesy and consideration; and .2 seeking to advise your client, in terms they can understand; gC41 You should do what you reasonably can to ensure that the client understands the process and what to expect from it and from you.
BSB Handbook Part 2: Code of Conduct · 5.0 · archived copy · official source ↗
Cayman Islands Legal Services Code 2026 R.4.4 strong
An attorney-at-law shall attend to all client affairs with diligence and answer all correspondence within the timescales agreed with the client or, if no such timescales have been agreed, within a reasonable time. An attorney-at-law shall treat clients fairly and correctly at all times.
Cayman Islands Legal Services Code of Professional Conduct · 2026 · archived copy
AU Solicitors Solicitors' Conduct Rules Rules 7.1; 4.1.3 partial 48 cases
7.1 A solicitor must provide clear and timely advice to assist a client to understand relevant legal issues and to make informed choices... 4.1.3 deliver legal services competently, diligently and as promptly as reasonably possible.
Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules · 2015 (June 2026 compilation) · archived copy · official source ↗
AU Barristers Uniform Barristers Rules r105 partial 15 cases
A barrister must promptly inform the instructing solicitor or the client as soon as the barrister has reasonable grounds to believe that there is a real possibility that the barrister will be unable to appear or to do the work required by the brief in the time stipulated by the brief or within a reasonable time if no time has been stipulated.
Legal Profession Uniform Conduct (Barristers) Rules · 2015 (as amended 14 May 2025) · archived copy · official source ↗
IE Solicitors Law Society Guide Ch2 — Proper standard of legal services: General; Failure to reply to letters strong 15 cases
A solicitor should keep the client informed of the progress of the matter... A solicitor should reply to correspondence and should return phone calls in a timely manner, both to clients and colleagues.
Solicitor's Guide to Professional Conduct (Law Society of Ireland) · 4th ed. (2022) · archived copy · official source ↗
IE Barristers Bar Code of Conduct Rule 3.19; Rule 2.13 partial 15 cases
Barristers must inform their instructing solicitor promptly if it becomes apparent that they are unlikely to be able to attend to their instructions or if there is likely to be a substantial delay in attending to them.
Code of Conduct for the Bar of Ireland · 2024 · archived copy · official source ↗
JM Attorneys Canons of Professional Ethics Canon IV(r) strong 125 cases
An Attorney shall deal with his client's business with all due expedition and shall whenever reasonably so required by the client provide him with all information as to the progress of the client's business with due expedition.
Legal Profession (Canons of Professional Ethics) Rules · 1978 (principal) · archived copy · official source ↗
JE Lawyers Law Society of Jersey Code R.1.5 strong
Members shall attend to all client affairs with diligence and answer all correspondence within the timescales agreed with the client or, if no such timescales have been agreed, within a reasonable time. Members must treat their clients fairly and correctly at all times.
Law Society of Jersey Code of Conduct · 1 January 2017 · archived copy · official source ↗
ON Lawyers LSO Rules of Prof. Conduct r 3.2-1; r 3.2-1 commentary [6] strong
3.2-1 A lawyer has a duty to provide courteous, thorough and prompt service to clients. The quality of service required of a lawyer is service that is competent, timely, conscientious, diligent, efficient and civil. [cmt 6: a lawyer should be prompt in handling a matter, responding to communications and reporting developments to the client.]
Law Society of Ontario — Rules of Professional Conduct · current · archived copy · official source ↗
BC Lawyers BC Code r 3.2-1 strong 3 cases
A lawyer has a duty to provide courteous, thorough and prompt service to clients. The quality of service required of a lawyer is service that is competent, timely, conscientious, diligent, efficient and civil.
Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia (BC Code) · 2017 · archived copy · official source ↗
NZ Lawyers Conduct & Client Care Rules r 7.1 / r 7.2 strong
A lawyer must take reasonable steps to ensure that a client understands the nature of the retainer and must keep the client informed about progress on the retainer. ... A lawyer must promptly answer requests for information or other inquiries from the client.
Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008 · SR 2008/214 · archived copy · official source ↗
SCO Solicitors LSS Standards of Conduct B1.9 strong 14 cases
You must communicate effectively with your clients and others
Law Society of Scotland — Practice Rules 2011, Rule B1 (Standards of Conduct) · 2011 · archived copy · official source ↗
SG Lawyers Professional Conduct Rules 2015 r 5 (Honesty, competence and diligence) partial 9 cases
5 Honesty, competence and diligence
Legal Profession (Professional Conduct) Rules 2015 · 2015 · archived copy · official source ↗
HK Solicitors Solicitors' Guide Principle 5.17 / Principle 5.12 Commentary 5 strong
A solicitor is under a duty to keep his client properly informed and to comply with reasonable requests from the client for information concerning his affairs. ... Requests for information should be answered promptly.
Hong Kong Solicitors' Guide to Professional Conduct (Volume 1) · current · archived copy · official source ↗
HK Barristers Bar Code of Conduct para 10.5 partial
A practising barrister must in all his professional activities act promptly, conscientiously and diligently and with reasonable competence and must take all reasonable and practicable steps to ensure that professional engagements are fulfilled punctually.
Code of Conduct of the Bar of the Hong Kong SAR · 2018 · archived copy · official source ↗
Cases dealing with this duty
403 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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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…
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Elizabeth Forrest
Breaches, Code of Conduct 2011, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Lack of Integrity, SRA Principles 2011, SRA Principles 2019
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Jenkins, Amy Louise
The solicitor sent an email which: a) was discourteous in breach of r 4.1.2 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules 2015 (Conduct Rules); and b) went beyond legitimate advocacy and was p…
1. Reprimand 2. Order for the solicitor to complete legal ethics training with the Professional Support Unit of the Law Society as approved by the Director, Legal Regulation, within 6 months 3. Order for the solicitor to provide an apology to the complainant in a form approved by the Director, Legal Regulation, within 3 months $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 -
Hall, Trevor Andrew
The solicitor sent emails which: (i) were discourteous in breach of r 4.1.2 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules 2015 (Conduct Rules); (ii) were likely to a material degree to be prej…
Fine Reprimand Order for the solicitor to complete 10 additional CPD units for the 2026-2027 period in the area of ethics as approved by the Director, Legal Regulation Order recommending the imposition of a condition on the solicitor’s practising certificate requiring the solicitor to undertake mentoring for a period of 2 years $5,000.00 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 -
Mark Feely
Breaches, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, SRA Principles 2011
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Richard Alexander Dobson
Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Recklessness, SRA Principles 2019
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Clive Graham Wood
Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Lack of Integrity, Recklessness, SRA Principles 2019
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Darren Paul Kruse
Between August 2021 and November 2021, the Practitioner failed to act on client instructions and respond to client correspondence, in breach of the following South Australian Legal Practitioners Conduct Rules: • to act …
Multiple Disciplinary Action Fine Order to apologise Reprimand View decision -
Rachel Parker
Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, SRA Principles 2019
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Debby-Ann Samuels
Suspended | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered December 12, 2025. || Guilty of Professional Misconduct | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered April 14, 2025. View PDF SANCTION DECISION OF THE DISCIPLINARY CO…
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James Martin Taylor
Breaches, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, Lack of Integrity, SRA Principles 2019
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Brenton John Miegel
Delayed administering a deceased estate for 10 years which diminished the public’s confidence in the administration of justice and brought the profession into disrepute. Failed to respond adequately and in a timely mann…
Multiple Disciplinary Action Conditions on Practising Certificate Fine Make a payment Refrain from doing something Reprimand View decision -
Paul Andrew Smith
Breaches, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, Lack of Integrity, SRA Principles 2019
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David Mark Turner
Dishonesty, SRA Principles 2011
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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
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(unnamed)
Client Money, Code of Conduct 2007, Code of Conduct 2011, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2011, SRA Principles 2011
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Kathryn Poole
Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, SRA Principles 2019
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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 -
Matthew David McCormick
The Respondent’s conduct identified in Charges 2 and 6 in the discipline application is proved and is found to constitute professional misconduct.
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Nigel John Weller
Breaches, Client Money, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Principles 2019
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Laura Elizabeth Simpson
Breaches, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, SRA Principles 2011, SRA Principles 2019
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Daniel James Skinner
Breaches, Code of Conduct 2011, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, Lack of Integrity, SRA Principles 2011, SRA Principles 2019
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Sideris, George
In the course of legal practice the solicitor: sent correspondence directly to the client of another solicitor, in breach of rule 33 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules 2015 (NSW) (C…
Costs Removal of lawyer’s name from the Roll of Australian lawyers Not a fit and proper person to remain on the Roll of Australian lawyers maintained by the Supreme Court of New South Wales, pursuant to s 22 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) $0.00 1 PDF 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.