Solicitor right or wrong?

L_D_N

Apologies if this is in the wrong place but wasn't sure where to go.

In the spirit of enterprise a friend and I have created a new business and went to solicitor for a partnership agreement. We also spoke to her about an investors agreement we needed.

We had a quote from her (which she changed!) that we did agree to.

Since then we received an invoice from our accountant for advice he gave to her on the investors agreement. The solicitor didn't contact us to say she was asking him to do any work for us, we thought she knew how to do it herself.

Her T&C does say that she has permission to employ specialists to help but I feel she still should have let us know. My understanding is that solicitors should advise you and get permission if they are going to incur costs on your behalf - am I right?

I'd appreciate any help from professionals in the field out there. We wrote to the solicitor saying we didn't feel we were liable as we weren't informed of her actioned and she has gone 'off on one' and replied in a really highly strung letter.

I would be so grateful for any help as I'm sticking to my principles but not really sure if I am in the right or not.

Cheers.

Lorraine

I'mcomingbackasaman

I've worked for a few Solicitors firms and all I can suggest is first of all that you write to the Solicitor and tell him/her that you dispute the extra costs as you were not made aware of them prior to the final bill but your willing to pay the remainder as agreed and put cc. Law Society at the bottom of the letter as an extra incentive for the Solicitor to back down. Pacify the accountant by telling him your disputing it with your Solicitor as your not liable to pay him.
If no agreement with solicitor then you need to write to the Law Society UK who are a sort of ombudsman for complaints against solicitors.
Explain that you were not advised of the extra costs incurred prior to the final bill, and ask them if you are within your rights to withold the extra payment. Hope this resolves your problem. You could always ask your local Trading Standards as well what consumer rights are concerning solicitors and their charges. Good luck.

I'mcomingbackasaman

L_D_N wrote:

We wrote to the solicitor saying we didn't feel we were liable as we weren't informed of her actioned and she has gone 'off on one' and replied in a really highly strung letter.
Lorraine

Just read your post again and it seems you've already swopped letters with the solicitors, in which case I'd send a copy of solicitors letter to Law Society asking them if you are within your rights to withold the extra charge for the Accountant. But I think usually solicitors pay for experts via themselves within the clients costs as agreed beforehand, so the accountant should be asking the solicitor for his fee, not you.
Maybe theres a solicitor on MSE would/could honestly answer...