The duty in context
Client-care and engagement terms client
On accepting instructions the lawyer must advise the client in writing of the scope of work, responsible personnel, respective responsibilities, regulatory protections and termination terms.
How the codes express this duty
E&W Solicitors SRA Principles & Code CCS 8.6; CCS 8.11 partial 28 cases
8.6 You give clients information in a way they can understand. You ensure they are in a position to make informed decisions about the services they need, how their matter will be handled and the options available to them. 8.11 You ensure that clients understand the regulatory protections available to them.
SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs · 2019 · archived copy · official source ↗
E&W Barristers BSB Handbook rC22 strong 1 case
rC22 Where you first accept instructions to act in a matter: .1 you must, subject to Rule rC23, confirm in writing acceptance of the instructions and the terms and/or basis on which you will be acting, including the basis of charging;
BSB Handbook · current · archived copy · official source ↗
Cayman Islands Legal Services Code 2026 R.4.2 strong
An attorney-at-law shall, when accepting instructions from a client, ensure that the client is advised in writing (in clear and unambiguous language) of the following — (a) the work to be undertaken, including any limitations as to scope; (b) the name and contact details of the member with overall responsibility for the client's matter... (c) the responsibilities of the attorney-at-law and of the client; and (d) details of how to make a complaint
Cayman Islands Legal Services Code of Professional Conduct · 2026 · archived copy
AU Solicitors Solicitors' Conduct Rules no clear equivalent
AU Barristers Uniform Barristers Rules r24B partial 3 cases
A barrister who proposes to accept instructions directly from a person who is not a solicitor must: (a) inform the prospective client in writing of: (i) the effect of Rules 15 and 17 ... and (b) obtain a written acknowledgement, signed by the prospective client, that he or she has been informed of the matters in (a) above.
Legal Profession Uniform Conduct (Barristers) Rules · 2015 (as amended 14 May 2025) · archived copy · official source ↗
IE Solicitors Law Society Guide Ch2 — Acceptance of instructions: Terms and conditions of business; Information in relation to legal costs partial 1 case
It is recommended that when a solicitor takes instructions, the client is provided with the firm's terms and conditions of business, including its complaints procedure. Where practicable, it is preferable to confirm the instructions in writing and set out in general terms what the solicitor understands their instructions to be and how they intend to carry out the instructions.
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 no clear equivalent
JE Lawyers Law Society of Jersey Code R.1.2 strong
A member must, when accepting instructions from a client, ensure that the client is advised in writing (in clear and unambiguous language) of the following; a) the work to be undertaken, including any limitations as to scope; b) the name and contact details of the member with overall responsibility for the client's matter and of any other member or employee dealing with the matter; c) the responsibilities of the member and of the client; d) details of how to make a complaint and whom to contact; and e) the circumstances in which a retainer may be terminated.
Law Society of Jersey Code of Conduct · 1 January 2017 · archived copy · official source ↗
ON Lawyers LSO Rules of Prof. Conduct r 3.2-1A.1 partial
When providing legal services under a limited scope retainer, a lawyer shall confirm the services in writing and give the client a copy of the written document when practicable to do so. [Written confirmation of engagement terms is mandated only for limited scope retainers; for full retainers it is recommended (3.6-1 cmt 3) but not mandated.]
Law Society of Ontario — Rules of Professional Conduct · current · archived copy · official source ↗
BC Lawyers BC Code r 3.2-1.1 partial
Before undertaking a limited scope retainer the lawyer must advise the client about the nature, extent and scope of the services that the lawyer can provide and must confirm in writing to the client as soon as practicable what services will be provided.
Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia (BC Code) · 2017 · archived copy · official source ↗
NZ Lawyers Conduct & Client Care Rules r 3.4 / r 3.5 strong
A lawyer ... must, in advance, provide in writing to a client information on the principal aspects of client service including ... (a) the basis on which the fees will be charged ... ; (d) the procedures ... for the handling of complaints by clients ... and ... must ... provide in writing to the client ... (b) the name and status of the person ... who will have ... overall responsibility for, the work;
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 partial 1 case
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 no clear equivalent
HK Solicitors Solicitors' Guide Principle 5.12 Commentary 7 / Principle 5.17 Commentary 1 partial
It is good practice for a solicitor to obtain confirmation of the scope of the retainer in writing from his client at the outset ... A client should be told the name and the status of the person responsible for the conduct of the matter on a day-to-day basis and the partner responsible for the overall supervision of the matter.
Hong Kong Solicitors' Guide to Professional Conduct (Volume 1) · current · archived copy · official source ↗
HK Barristers Bar Code of Conduct para 5.18(c)(i) partial
Unless and to the extent that they are excluded or varied by agreement, all briefs and instructions for Direct Access work are deemed to be accepted by a practising barrister on the terms and conditions of the Recommended Standard Terms of Engagement set out in Annex 6.
Code of Conduct of the Bar of the Hong Kong SAR · 2018 · archived copy · official source ↗
Cases dealing with this duty
34 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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Mohammed Alias Yousef
Breaches, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, SRA Principles 2019
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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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Samira Mohamed Seth
Breaches, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Failures, Recklessness, SRA Principles 2019
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Martin Darren Rounthwaite
Breaches, Code of Conduct 2011, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Failures, Lack of Integrity, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2011, SRA Principles 2011, SRA Principles 2019
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Isidore Ikechukwu Chukwudolue
Breaches, Failures
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Robyn Moira Lynch
Breaches, Solicitors' Accounts Rules
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Watkins, Gregory James
Breached rules 8, 24, 25, 27 and 28 of the Legal Profession Uniform Conduct (Barristers) Rules 2015 (NSW) (duty to the court) — Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct
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 -
Nagle, Peter Richard
1. Borrowed money from his client - breach r 47 of the of NSW Barristers’ Rules 2014 2. Failed to disclose to his client all matters required to be disclosed in the case of a direct access retainer between a barrister a…
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de Robillard, Christian Roger
1. Breach of section 252 LPA 2004 - Barristers not to receive trust money 2. Received funds and disbursed them to himself without accounting to his client 3. Failure to comply with Rule 24B of the New South Wales Barris…
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 -
Christopher William Edwin Greenman
Breaches, Solicitors' Accounts Rules
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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/DT111/11 and High Court record…
strike_off View decision -
Edgar Stephen George Thomas
Breaches, Delays, Failures, Others
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Duncan John Dollimore
Breaches, Failures
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Tom Jenkins Merralls
Breaches, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules
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N A Faniyi
Failures, Others
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Quarters Trustees Ltd & Susan Beaumont
Breaches, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules
Costs only, Revocation of recognised body status, Strike Off Register of Foreign Lawyers 1 PDF View decision -
Timothy Ian Millar
Breaches, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others
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Thomas Ofordire Egole
Breaches, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others
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Dudley Richard Owen-Thomas
Breaches, Client Money, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others
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S Dhama & Others
Breaches, Client Money, Delays, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others
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H S Fernando & P Rajoo
Breaches, Client Money, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others
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Richard John Swinburn
Breaches, Client Money, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others
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Mark I Bronzite & Another
Breaches, Client Money, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others
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Justin Johnson
Breaches, Client Money, Failures, Others
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.