Question of ethics

Q Our firm is about to close a branch office in a local village but we wish to retain a presence there.

If the office is kept merely for the purposes of consultation for only a few hours each week with the clients by prior appointment, what would the supervision requirements be?

A Rule 13 of the Solicitors Practice Rules 1990, as amended, sets out minimum standards of supervision for solicitors' offices.

From what you say, this will no longer be an 'office' for the purpose of the rule.

Therefore, there will be no need to have a solicitor 'qualified to supervise' normally working there.

However, 'it is particularly important that systems of supervision and management encompass the work of those persons from time to time working away from the office, for example, at a consulting room open only for a few hours per week', see note (f)(i) of rule 13, page 115 of the Guide to the Professional Conduct of Solicitors, 1999, eighth edition.

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Question of ethics is compiled by the Law Society's professional ethics guidance team.

Send questions for publication to Austin O'Malley, the Law Society, Ipsley Court, Berrington Close, Redditch B98 0TD; DX 19114 Redditch; tel: 020 7242 1222