The duty in context
No improper use of client money money
The lawyer must withdraw client money only for its proper purpose, must not overdraw a client's funds, and must not use the client account as a banking facility.
How the codes express this duty
E&W Solicitors SRA Principles & Code SAR Rule 5.1; SAR Rule 3.3; SAR Rule 5.3 strong 1,008 cases
5.1 You only withdraw client money from a client account: (a) for the purpose for which it is being held; ... 3.3 You must not use a client account to provide banking facilities to clients or third parties. ... 5.3 You only withdraw client money from a client account if sufficient funds are held on behalf of that specific client or third party to make the payment.
Solicitors Accounts Rules · 2019 · archived copy · official source ↗
E&W Barristers BSB Handbook no clear equivalent
Cayman Islands Legal Services Code 2026 P.7; R.9.2 partial
Attorneys-at-law shall protect client money and assets... An attorney-at-law and a recognised law entity shall safeguard money and assets entrusted to them by clients and others.
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 — Accounts regulations: General strong 90 cases
To use each client's money for that client's matter only, To use trust money only for the purpose of that trust... To establish and maintain proper accounting systems and proper internal control systems to ensure compliance with the regulations.
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(a) partial 118 cases
An Attorney shall comply with rules as may from time to time be prescribed by the General Legal Council relating to the keeping in separate accounts- (i) the funds of himself or any firm with which he is associated; and (ii) those of his clients.
Legal Profession (Canons of Professional Ethics) Rules · 1978 (principal) · archived copy · official source ↗
JE Lawyers Law Society of Jersey Code P.7; R.7.4 a),c) partial
Members must protect client money and assets... Members must: a) identify, monitor and manage risks to money and assets entrusted to them by clients and others... c) ensure compliance with the Accounts Rules.
Law Society of Jersey Code of Conduct · 1 January 2017 · archived copy · official source ↗
ON Lawyers LSO Rules of Prof. Conduct r 3.6-10; r 3.2-7.3 strong
3.6-10 A lawyer shall not appropriate any funds of the client held in trust or otherwise under the lawyer's control for or on account of fees except as permitted by the by-laws under the Law Society Act. [3.2-7.3 A lawyer shall not use their trust account for purposes not related to the provision of legal services.]
Law Society of Ontario — Rules of Professional Conduct · current · archived copy · official source ↗
BC Lawyers BC Code r 3.6-10 strong 71 cases
A lawyer must not appropriate any client funds held in trust or otherwise under the lawyer's control for or on account of fees, except as permitted by the governing legislation.
Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia (BC Code) · 2017 · archived copy · official source ↗
NZ Lawyers Conduct & Client Care Rules r 10.5.2 / r 9.3 partial
A lawyer who receives funds on terms requiring the lawyer to hold the funds in a trust account as a stakeholder must adhere strictly to those terms and disburse the funds only in accordance with them. ... A lawyer who wishes to debit fees held in trust or to receive funds to cover fees in advance must comply with the requirements of regulations 9 and 10 of the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Trust Account) Regulations 2008.
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 19 cases
16 Client money
Legal Profession (Professional Conduct) Rules 2015 · 2015 · archived copy · official source ↗
HK Solicitors Solicitors' Guide Principle 13.02 / Principle 4.02 Commentary 4 partial
A client account cheque must never be dishonoured. A solicitor must take care to ensure that any cheque for use in connection with his practice will be honoured upon presentation. ... Dishonour of a client account cheque will other than in exceptional circumstances indicate a breach of the Solicitors' Accounts Rules (Cap. 159 sub. leg. F). ... Under rule 9(2) of the Solicitors' Accounts Rules (Cap. 159 sub. leg. F), money received for or on account of an agreed fee which is paid by a client to his solicitor must be paid into an office account.
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
1,489 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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Richard Paul Roberts
Breaches, Client Money, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules
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Ogbondah Kkem Omodu
Breaches, Failures, Others, Solicitors' Accounts Rules
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Aurang Khattak, Shane Z Khattak & Another
Breaches, Client Money, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others
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Ranbir Singh Bains
Breaches, Client Money, Others, Solicitors' Accounts Rules
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Martyn Slocombe
Criminal Convictions, Solicitors' Accounts Rules
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David Jackson & Fleur Palmer
Breaches, Failures, Others, Solicitors' Accounts Rules
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Newford E Shillingford & Another
Breaches, Client Money, Failures, Others
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David Davies
Breaches, Client Money, Solicitors' Accounts Rules
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Laftsidis, Dimitrios
1. Breach of trust account provisions, by withdrawing monies from trust without any authority to do so 2. Breach of trust acocunt provisions, by failing to transfer monies received on trust to a trust account 3. Breach …
Costs Removal of practitioner's name from the Roll of Local Lawyers $0.00 Proceedings Instituted 1 PDF View decision -
Seosamh O’Daimhin
In the matter of Seosamh O’Daimhin (otherwise Joseph Devine), solicitor, practising as Devine Solicitors at 9 O’Rahilly Street, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2008 [6260/DT106/09 and…
strike_off View decision -
Joseph Anthony Allen
Struck off, Restitution Ordered | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered October 14, 2010. View PDF DECISION OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEEOF THE GENERAL LEGAL COMPLAINT NO.: 65/2010 BETWEEN DENNIS WHITE COMPLAINANT A…
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MARTIN LEE SEGLER
Professional Misconduct and Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct and Suspended
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Antonnette Haughton Cardenas
Restitution ordered, Already Struck off | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered September 18, 2010. View PDF FORMAL ORDER OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL MADE ON COMPLAINTNO 63 OF 2006 IN …
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Joseph Traynor
In the matter of Joseph Traynor, solicitor, formerly practising as Traynor & Company, Solicitors, 86 Clanbrassil Street, Dundalk, Co Louth, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2008 [5554/DT01/10 and High Court…
strike_off View decision -
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Desmond O'Brien
In the matter of Desmond O’Brien, solicitor, Cregg, Lahinch, Co Clare, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954 to 2008 [4952/DT58/09 and High Court record 2010 no 44SA) Law Society of Ireland (applicant) Desmond O…
strike_off View decision -
Michael J Murphy
In the matter of Michael J Murphy, a solicitor formerly practising as MJ Murphy & Co, Solicitors, 25 Lower Salthill, Galway, Co Galway, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2008 [4803/DT119/08 and High Court re…
strike_off View decision -
O'donnell, John Alexander
1. Wilfully breached Sections 255 and 264 of Legal Profession Act 2004 - relating to trust funds 2. Wilfully breached Section 264 of the Legal Profession Act 2004 - handling of trust moneys 3. Misappropriated funds 4. F…
Costs Removal of practitioner's name from the Roll of Local Lawyers $0.00 Proceedings Instituted 1 PDF View decision -
David Santiago Morales
Restitution Ordered | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered May 15, 2010. View PDF DECISION OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL COMPLAINT NO. 34/2009 IN THE MATTER OF EDNA THORPE v DAVID MORAL…
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Mavrakis, George John
1. Breach of Sections 253, 254, 255 & 260 of the Legal Profession Act 2004 - relating to trust funds 2. Misappropriation of trust funds 3. Breach of Rule 12 of the Revised Professional Conduct & Practice Rules 1995 by b…
Conditions on Practising Certificate Costs Fine Practitioner to undertake and complete further legal education Reprimand Mentoring of solicitor by Senior Solicitor $3,000.00 Proceedings Instituted 1 PDF View decision -
DAMIEN GERARD BRENNAN
Professional Misconduct
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David O'Shea
In the matter of David O’Shea, solicitor, formerly practising at O’Donovan Solicitors, 73 Capel Street, Dublin 1, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2008 [6743/DT63/09 and High Court record no 2009 no108 SA] …
other View decision -
Trevor Ruddock
Struck off, Repayment & Restitution Ordered | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered February 13, 2010. View PDF JUDGEMENT OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE COMPLAINT NO. 74 OF 2003 BETWEEN JOAN BURKETT POWELL COMPLAINAN…
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Mary Miley
In the matter of Mary Miley, solicitor, formerly practising as Mary Miley & Co, Solicitors, at Brewery Place, Rathdrum, Co Wicklow, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2008 [3916/DT49/09 and High Court record …
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.