Professional Negligence Claims Against Solicitors
We provide specialist legal advice to individuals and businesses who have suffered loss or harm
as a result of a solicitor’s negligence or professional misconduct.
Claims Against Solicitors
Solicitor negligence is one of the most sensitive areas of professional negligence law. When you instruct a solicitor to act for you, you place trust in their expertise. If that trust is misplaced and you suffer financial loss as a result, you have the right to bring a claim.
Our professional negligence team is led by Avi Gordon, a Legal 500-recognised Senior Solicitor with over a decade of experience bringing multi-million pound claims against solicitors, barristers, and City law firms. Avi is a member of the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association (PNLA).
What counts as solicitor negligence?
A solicitor may be negligent if they:
- Miss a limitation deadline, causing you to lose the right to bring a claim
- Give incorrect advice on the law or on the merits of your case
- Fail to advise you on material risks or on alternative courses of action
- Draft documents incorrectly, resulting in financial loss
- Fail to carry out your instructions properly
- Breach their duty of confidentiality in a way that causes loss
The loss must flow from the negligence itself. If you would have suffered the same loss regardless, a claim is unlikely to succeed. We assess causation from the outset.
Reported cases
Our team represented the claimant in Karis Developments Limited v EMW Law LLP, a reported High Court decision involving a claim of approximately £18 million against a City law firm. The full judgment is available on BAILII.
We have also acted in multi-million pound claims against City law firms at all stages of litigation, including Court of Appeal proceedings.
The claims process
Most claims against solicitors are subject to the Professional Negligence Pre-Action Protocol. Before proceedings are issued, we will serve a formal Letter of Claim setting out the alleged breach, the loss suffered, and the causal link between them. The defendant firm then has a period to investigate and respond. Many claims resolve at this stage through negotiation with the solicitor’s professional indemnity insurer.
The primary limitation period for claims against solicitors is three years from the date you knew (or should have known) of the negligence. A longstop of fifteen years applies from the date of the act or omission. We assess limitation as part of our initial review.
Contact us
If you believe your solicitor has acted negligently, contact us for an initial review. We will assess your prospects of success and the limitation position at the first meeting.
Professional Negligence Team
Avi Gordon
Senior SolicitorAvi has over a decade’s experience dealing with all aspects of professional negligence disputes, with particular focus on preparing complex multi-million pound claims against solicitors and barristers.Isabel Fisher
SolicitorIsabel advises clients on professional negligence matters, assisting with legal research, case preparation and correspondence. She provides practical support throughout the claims process, helping clients pursue their interests effectively.
Professional Negligence Fees
Claims Against Solicitors FAQs
- Can I sue my solicitor for losing my case?
Losing a case is not in itself evidence of negligence. You need to show that the solicitor fell below the standard expected of a reasonably competent solicitor practising in the same field, and that this caused you to lose something you would otherwise have recovered.
- My solicitor missed a court deadline. Can I claim?
Missed deadlines are a common form of solicitor negligence, particularly where a limitation period is lost as a result. If your right to bring a claim has expired because your solicitor failed to issue proceedings in time, you may have a strong negligence claim against them.
- How is loss calculated in solicitor negligence claims?
Loss is usually assessed by reference to what you would have recovered, or avoided, had the solicitor acted competently. This is sometimes analysed as the loss of a chance and may involve expert evidence on the merits of the underlying claim.
- How long will a claim take?
This depends on complexity. Claims that settle at the pre-action protocol stage typically resolve within 6 to 18 months. Contested High Court claims take longer. We give you a realistic assessment at the outset.
Contact our Professional Negligence Team
A little about you and what you need will help us with our response.