Queries Raised in Draft Contract

TBagpuss

princeofpounds said:

I've been on this board for years and never heard the term 'fee earner'... anyone know what that's all about?

What it says on the tin - the person who is earning the fees by doing the work. In a lot of firms, that won't be a solicitor - it may be a paralegal, legal executive, licensed conveyancer .. using the term may be the way this firm does it to ensure that they don't mislead clients by referring to 'the solicitor' when the person doing the work is not a solicitor, 

Thrugelmir

Flugelhorn said:

I think there is more of a shock when the buyer's conveyancer doesn't make any enquiries, they seem to do it as a matter of course - they have to find something to justify the fees

Lenders won't be greatly impressed if they didn't. 

princeofpounds

Thanks everyone. Perhaps I should have clarified - I do know what a 'fee earner' is in terms of professional services generally. I was just amazed that they would refer to the term in a client communication (reminding them of fees!), so I wondered if they meant something else by it.

Googling around it seems the usage is often quite relaxed in legal firms, I guess for the reasons some of you highlighted over the exact qualifications of whoever is doing the work.