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Hi,
My friend contacted a solicitor and received some free advice (phone and email). My friend then said in an email that he would like to instruct the solicitor, based upon this advice. The solicitor sent him out his retainer documents, including a funding document, a letter of advice (the advice given to this point upon which the instruction would go forward) and a client care letter, which the solicitor wanted all signed and returned. There is an issue with the description of my friend’s case in the advice letter which could negate the advice my friend has received (which had convinced him to say he’d like to instruct this solicitor). My friend has asked for this to be clarified and corrected before he signs anything. The solicitor says they cannot deal with this until he signs the funding paperwork and the client care letter, at which point they would be able to clarify his position further. My friend does not want to sign and proceed, having lost faith with this solicitor. My friend did not think he was instructing the solicitor until he had signed and returned his retainer documents. The solicitor says that costs have been accrued in providing the retainer paperwork and correspondence. Does my friend have to pay these costs if he feels unable to sign the retainer docs due to the above problems? Does he have to formally say he is not instructing this solicitor even though he has not signed the retainer docs?
My friend contacted a solicitor and received some free advice (phone and email). My friend then said in an email that he would like to instruct the solicitor, based upon this advice. The solicitor sent him out his retainer documents, including a funding document, a letter of advice (the advice given to this point upon which the instruction would go forward) and a client care letter, which the solicitor wanted all signed and returned. There is an issue with the description of my friend’s case in the advice letter which could negate the advice my friend has received (which had convinced him to say he’d like to instruct this solicitor). My friend has asked for this to be clarified and corrected before he signs anything. The solicitor says they cannot deal with this until he signs the funding paperwork and the client care letter, at which point they would be able to clarify his position further. My friend does not want to sign and proceed, having lost faith with this solicitor. My friend did not think he was instructing the solicitor until he had signed and returned his retainer documents. The solicitor says that costs have been accrued in providing the retainer paperwork and correspondence. Does my friend have to pay these costs if he feels unable to sign the retainer docs due to the above problems? Does he have to formally say he is not instructing this solicitor even though he has not signed the retainer docs?
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