Dodgy solicitors

[heisenberg]

Re: Dodgy solicitors

Is your original disability discrimination case something that could be done through the small claims court, or is your wish for an amount of compensation higher than the small claims court? The other thing I would ask is: have you gone through a mediation process yet? I'm just wondering if you can circumvent a need for a solicitor at all? In the scenarios I've mentioned, you can do that.

Hi Porbeagle,

Yep, I am now thinking of doing that as the claim is worth less than 10k. I have sent a letter before action to the other party and they are now trying to deter me from bringing proceedings.

No mediation yet.

[heisenberg]

Re: Dodgy solicitors

My solicitor informed me that he even sued the court service (the case settled) for discrimination (failure to make reasonable adjustments).

[charitynjw]

Re: Dodgy solicitors

Can you prove that the solicitor has taken on a client who has exactly the same grievance as yours, but that person does not have a protected characteristic?

[heisenberg]

Re: Dodgy solicitors

With one of them it is looking more like a case of negligence. Not sure about the other. These things are notoriously difficult to prove.

[heisenberg]

Re: Dodgy solicitors

One has just made me an offer. I won't even consider it as it was a few peanuts.

[wales01man]

Re: Dodgy solicitors

Well how much do you consider to be peanuts

[heisenberg]

Re: Dodgy solicitors

Well how much do you consider to be peanuts

£50.

[Openlaw15]

Re: Dodgy solicitors

Can you clarify how they have discriminated you? Telling you that you have poor prospects of a case is not discrimination but a mere opinion. They may not have needed further details of the matter if it related to something specific which they felt your case didn't fit into or again, did not have real prospects of success. It sounds like they are making a decision based on a non-legal aid basis, which again they are perfectly entitled to do.

If you honestly feel you have been discriminated against then I would suggest putting it in writing to the law firm, and if your still not satisfied then you can take court action, which based on the information so far, I don't think will get very far.

If you want legal aid then you have a number for them, why not give them a call and they will be able to direct you whether or not you qualify for legal aid and what the steps are.

Post 17, and the details hitherto, not even an outline of the discrimination were known about, until you tell us the facts we're blind, so to speak.

[wales01man]

Re: Dodgy solicitors

Less than 1/2 hours fees for most solicitors if you believe you have a valid claim go for it now follow protocol and get advice from your new Solicitor and try

[Openlaw15]

Re: Dodgy solicitors

Is your original disability discrimination case something that could be done through the small claims court, or is your wish for an amount of compensation higher than the small claims court? The other thing I would ask is: have you gone through a mediation process yet? I'm just wondering if you can circumvent a need for a solicitor at all? In the scenarios I've mentioned, you can do that.

Post 75, on from post 17, still no mention of the particular discrimination case/ claim. The Legalbeagles offer a great service for free, but whilst they're arguing hypotheticals here, another OP could have been a priority case. If you want to tell us of your discrimination claim, that's cool, if not that's ok, but it's difficult to speculate one way of the other whether your case has been treated fairly if you have not provided us with any details. Even an outline would be useful.

[heisenberg]

Re: Dodgy solicitors

Post 17, and the details hitherto, not even an outline of the discrimination were known about, until you tell us the facts we're blind, so to speak.

Okay, apologies.

They have seemingly given me legal advice that no other qualified person in the country would have given me. In other words, their advice was perverse.

They failed to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate my disability. I asked for them to quite simply set out their advice in writing and the failed to reasonably do so. I raised a complaint about this and they still failed to do so. I have sent them a letter before action and they still failed to simply set their advice out in writing (because the penny probably dropped and they knew it was seriously wrong and/or negligent).

They are now contending that there is a conflict of interest and they cannot have me a client. In other words, they are unlawfully victimising me.

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Less than 1/2 hours fees for most solicitors if you believe you have a valid claim go for it now follow protocol and get advice from your new Solicitor and try

Agreed wales01man. You and I are on the same page.

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Post 75, on from post 17, still no mention of the particular discrimination case/ claim. The Legalbeagles offer a great service for free, but whilst they're arguing hypotheticals here, another OP could have been a priority case. If you want to tell us of your discrimination claim, that's cool, if not that's ok, but it's difficult to speculate one way of the other whether your case has been treated fairly if you have not provided us with any details. Even an outline would be useful.

Sorry, see post 86.

[heisenberg]

Re: Dodgy solicitors

Did I mention my current solicitor successfully sued (the case settled) the court service for failing to make a reasonable adjustment? It was a case of a person with an eyesight impairment and all he asked was for the court to send him letters using a slightly larger font. Needless to say the court service failed to comply and later argued, in their defence, they did not have sufficient resources to do so. The mind boggles...

[Openlaw15]

Re: Dodgy solicitors

Did I mention my current solicitor successfully sued (the case settled) the court service for failing to make a reasonable adjustment? It was a case of a person with an eyesight impairment and all he asked was for the court to send him letters using a slightly larger font. Needless to say the court service failed to comply and later argued, in their defence, they did not have sufficient resources to do so. The mind boggles...

The court has a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled persons under Equality Act 2010, or its predecessor statutes because it is a public authority for the purposes of the Human Rights Act 1998, so it is human right too.

[heisenberg]

Re: Dodgy solicitors

The court has a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled persons under Equality Act 2010, or its predecessor statutes because it is a public authority for the purposes of the Human Rights Act 1998, so it is human right too.

Agreed, hence the successful claim. The point I make is that solicitors too fall foul of equality law. They are not immune from this or infallible.

[heisenberg]

Re: Dodgy solicitors

My solicitor says I may have a negligence claim against another firm. However, in my opinion there is a fine line to be drawn between being negligent and discriminatory in these circumstances. In fact, it would probably best most convenient for them to act unreasonably in this respect and then claim it was merely their 'legal opinion' knowing this creates a higher hurdle to overcome.

As with the other case it is clear they were unwilling to set out their advice clearly and in writing. What inference would any reasonable person draw from this?

Only problem is I think there is no legal aid for professional negligence claims?