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Cases like Buxton are the very point. Of course a solcitor's retainer is an entire contract and they are not allowed to terminate it at will. However, like anybody else, that doesn't stop a solicitor from doing it, it is just relevant to the consequences if they do. Presumably that is precisely why, if the judge finds that the firm did 'walk away' from the contract, the effect is that the solicitor has repudiated the contract and is not entitled to any payment. Also, CFAs usually expressly provide that if the solicitor terminates the contract, he is not entitled to payment (unless the client has done something wrong).
Whether the judge is right on the facts may be one issue, but if he is, then he may well be right on the consequences.