A solicitor is a legal expert and will be happy to take on your complaint or case provided they believe it has merit, and they can do so within the principal ethical and procedural guidelines they’re bound to.
Such professionals will also serve as a legal guide, giving direct advice to help you understand the law, quickly remove any preconceived incorrect notions you have, and advocate for your best action.
However, solicitors can’t (and won’t) compel you to behave in a certain way.. As such, it’s very easy to make a mistake without referring to them beforehand, to the point where, unknowingly perhaps, you could harm your case, defense or legal prospects moving forward.
If your solicitor notices you making such mistakes, they will politely but firmly warn you against them. As a gram of prevention is worth a kilo of cure, we will list six of the most common here, for advisory purposes:
Your solicitor might seem overly cautious about who you talk to, but there’s genuine wisdom behind their concern. The moment you’ve engaged legal representation, any conversation you have with the opposing party could potentially damage your position, even if you think you’re being helpful or reasonable for them.
If the other party calls you directly, or you bump into them at the local shops and think a quick chat might clear things up, try to go against the usual polite standard and urges. That’s because what actually happens is that you might inadvertently admit fault, agree to something that contradicts your legal strategy, or simply provide information that strengthens their case against you.
Your solicitor has likely spent considerable time crafting a specific approach to your matter, so don’t try and degrade that. They’ll appreciate it.
Social media feels private, and it’s often a space where you can vent your frustrations or share updates with friends, but courts and opposing legal teams increasingly view these platforms as treasure troves of evidence, even if you think your profile is private. That Facebook post where you were talking about how pleased you were healing so quickly after a car accident might be used to prove the damage wasn’t so bad at all.
Also remember that even if you delete something, it might already have been screenshot or archived. Your solicitor understands that legal cases can be emotionally draining, and you may wish to share your experience or seek support from friends online. However, they’ll likely suggest you avoid mentioning your case entirely on any social platform until the matters are fully concluded. It’s just not worth the risk.
Settlement offers may seem like a relief, and that’s certainly true if you’ve been dealing with legal stress for months. A temptation to accept quickly and put the whole matter behind you is entirely understandable, and trust us, sometimes it can be for a solicitor as well, who will let you know if it’s in your best interest. However, accepting an offer without consulting your solicitor first could mean you’re settling for far less than your case is actually worth. Moreover, the offer may not even be binding..
Keep in mind the other party’s insurance company or legal team doesn’t make offers out of generosity, but they’ve calculated what they think is the minimum amount you might accept, often based on their assessment of your patience, financial situation, or legal knowledge. A solicitor can help you avoid being taken advantage of in this respect.
If you have a document request from the other side, that may be their right in the disclosure period, and you may be happy with that if they’re asking for something that appears clearly relevant to your case. Your natural response is to be cooperative and provide whatever they’ve asked for, and more so if you believe it supports your position.
In many cases, your solicitor will be mindful of such requests and provide them where legally obligated to. Just keep in mind your solicitor needs to review any documents before they’re shared, not because they don’t trust your judgement, but because they understand how information can be used strategically in legal proceedings. They can advise which documents are genuinely necessary to provide, how to present them in the most favourable light, and whether additional context or explanation should accompany them so any thing that works against you can be mitigated.
Most solicitors completely understand that you want to present yourself in the best light when defending or bringing a claim to court. Moreover, court can sometimes be more revealing than you’d like, and can bring up certain experiences you’re a little embarrassed about, or facts that might paint you in a light you’re uncomfortable with. We can promise you that your solicitor won’t mind, no matter what category of law they work in. Both fraud solicitors and criminal solicitors have seen many different individuals come and go.
However, they will mind if you withhold important facts or documents to present your case or character as more flattering than it is. That’s because this approach almost always backfires spectacularly. Your solicitor needs the complete picture to build the strongest possible case for you, and they’re surprisingly good at working with imperfect facts or seemingly damaging information. What feels like a devastating piece of evidence to you might actually be manageable or even irrelevant in the broader context of your case, but they can’t do their best work with documents or facts they’re unaware of.
The UK legal system has strict disclosure requirements too, which means that relevant documents and facts will likely emerge eventually anyway. If the other side discovers something important that you failed to mention to your own solicitor, you’ve handed them a powerful weapon in court. They could also suggest you’re dishonest or unreliable, and your solicitor will be caught completely off guard, unable to prepare an effective response they would have liked to give you.
Remember that your solicitor is absolutely on your side, and much like a Doctor, they’ve seen it all before. So no matter if you’re utilizing a defence lawyer or 24 hour solicitors, they will defend you.
With this advice, we’re certain you’ll develop a capable, mutually respectful, and effective relationship with your solicitor. Please contact us today for any legal assistance.
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