Claims Against Negligent Solicitors

We understand the importance the role a solicitor plays for an individual or business, particularly as they are relied upon during key life events, such as buying or selling a business or property, drafting a will or inheritance tax planning; as well as when embarking on litigation. However, solicitors can fall below the standard expected of them.

We specialise in solicitor negligence claims and have helped countless individuals, businesses, and organisations recover compensation after suffering loss due to poor legal advice, missed deadlines, or mishandled proceedings. Our team provides practical, jargon-free guidance and is tier 1 ranked in the Legal 500 legal directory.

If you feel that your solicitor has failed to act as instructed or in your best interests and that you have suffered a loss as a consequence, you may have grounds to bring a claim.

What is solicitor negligence?

Solicitor negligence occurs when a solicitor fails to act with the reasonable skill and care expected of their profession, causing financial loss.

Situations where solicitors could be negligent include, but are not limited to:

failing to act in accordance with client instructions
failing to properly advise on the legal implications of a matter.
failing to properly assess the value of a claim and therefore under settling a matter
failing to advise a client as to their exposure to legal costs
failing to issue a claim before the expiry of a relevant limitation period
providing negligent advice about whether it is prudent to settle a claim
missing court deadlines

If you have suffered financial loss because of your negligent solicitor, then we can advise you whether you have a claim, and we will help you to recover any losses you may have incurred.

How to bring a negligence claim against a solicitor

Bringing a claim against a solicitor can feel daunting, especially if you have lost trust in the profession. Our specialist team is here to make the process clear and manageable. We will:

Assess whether your solicitor’s conduct fell below professional standards.
Gather the evidence needed to prove negligence and financial loss.
Advise on the likely outcome and value of your claim.
Advise you on any limitation issues, to ensure that you bring your claim within the relevant time.
Ensure that if you pursue a claim, you do so in accordance with the Pre-action Protocol for Professional Negligence.
Negotiate settlements to resolve claims quickly, or pursue litigation if required.

We combine technical expertise with a supportive approach, ensuring you always understand your options.

Key contact

Abigail Flanagan

Partner

Abigail Flanagan joined the dispute resolution team in 2005 and became a Partner in May 2022. Abbie specialises in procurement, professional negligence claims (mainly against solicitors, accountancy practitioners and other finance professionals), general commercial litigation matters (including warranty, contractual and director/shareholder disputes) and insolvency matters.

Abigail Flanagan

Partner

Email: [email protected]

Contact number: 029 2267 5560

Expertise:

Abigail Flanagan joined the dispute resolution team in 2005 and became a Partner in May 2022. Abbie specialises in procurement, professional negligence claims (mainly against solicitors, accountancy practitioners and other finance professionals), general commercial litigation matters (including warranty, contractual and director/shareholder disputes) and insolvency matters.

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Why choose us?

Choosing the right team for your claim is vital. Clients turn to us because:

We are experts: Our professional negligence team’s is tier 1 ranked in the Legal 500.
We deliver results: We have recovered millions of pounds for clients in solicitor negligence claims.
We are approachable: We provide clear advice without unnecessary legal jargon.
We are trusted: Individuals, businesses, charities and public bodies rely on us to handle their most complex claims.

Our experience

We have acted in many high-profile and complex solicitor negligence claims, including:

Acting in relation to multi-million-pound disputes:

acting for a well-known sporting organisation in a multi-million-pound claim against its former solicitors. The claim against the negligent solicitors settled favourably before trial
advising a company on a potential negligence claim against professionals, including former solicitor to trustee, in relation to advice to severe the final salary link in fetter of the scheme rules and deeds of the company’s pension scheme.

Acting in relation to under-settled injury claims:

Recovering a settlement in excess of £1 million where catastrophic injury damages had been entirely exhausted due to failures in safeguarding compensation and securing appropriate oversight.
Securing a settlement worth many millions of pounds where a serious injury claim was grossly under-settled after advisers failed to recognise deteriorating psychiatric injury and obtain proper expert evidence.
Acting for a former soldier whose claim for a non-freezing cold injury was under-settled. The original settlement failed to take into consideration the soldier’s loss of military career and associated benefits, which included pension entitlement. The matter settled very favourably for our client.

Acting in relation to property claims:

settling a high value claim against a negligent conveyancing solicitor who failed to carry out the necessary pre-purchase searches which resulted in the later discovery of a footpath running through the land
acting for a seller of land whose solicitor negligently failed to include proper provisions to retain rights of grazing over common land at the time of sale
representing a client whose solicitors negligently failed to secure a charge over the defendant’s property at the conclusion of a trial which resulted in the defendant selling the property and removing his assets from the jurisdiction

This experience means we understand the challenges of solicitor negligence claims and how best to achieve the right outcome for our clients.

Yes. If your solicitor’s conduct fell below the expected professional standard and caused you financial loss, you may be entitled to compensation.

You must show that the professional owed you a duty of care, that they breached that duty, and that you suffered a loss as a result. For example, if a solicitor misses a deadline and your case is struck out, that loss can be linked to their negligence. We’ll help you gather the right evidence to prove your case.

There are time limits that apply to bringing a claim in professional negligence. Generally, if you wish to pursue a professional negligence claim it must be brought within six years from the date of the breach of contract (in a claim for breach of contract), or within six years from the date when the damage is suffered (in a negligence claim). However, these time limits can vary depending on various factors such as but not limited to, when a claimant ought to have become aware of the negligence.

The rules relating to limitation can be complex and full of pitfalls. Bringing your claim within the relevant “limitation” period is the essential first step to bringing a successful claim. It is therefore important to seek legal advice as early as possible to ensure that you are able to bring a claim.

If you’re unsure if you have a claim, we can review your documents, explain if negligence occurred, and advise on your options.

Many claims are resolved through negotiation or mediation under the Pre-Action Protocol. Court is only needed if settlement isn’t possible, but most cases settle before trial.

You can bring claims against any professional, such as; solicitors, barristers, accountants, auditors, surveyors, valuers, financial advisers, architects, and patent or trademark attorneys. If a professional’s advice fell below the reasonable standard and caused you financial loss, you may have grounds to claim.

Claims against negligent solicitors