Alasdair’s story
Alisdair contacted us because he felt a solicitor had misled him. He believed he and his ex-partner had already settled their finances for their divorce, so he was surprised when her solicitor proposed changes and asked for more financial details. When the solicitor refused to explain why his ex-partner had changed her mind, Alisdair worried they were acting improperly. When he complained to the solicitor, they said they hadn’t done anything wrong, so he complained to the SLCC.
Alisdair’s main concern was the lack of transparency. He was frustrated that he was being kept in the dark about what his ex-partner had actually said and why her story had changed. To him, this secrecy felt improper; he worried that the solicitor might be hiding something or failing to follow the correct process. He felt that without a clear explanation, he couldn't trust that the divorce was being handled fairly.
When our investigator looked into Alasdair’s complaint, they found no evidence that the solicitor was trying to hide information. Instead, they were simply following the professional rules that protect a client’s confidentiality.
These rules are vital, they protect everyone's privacy and ensure we can all trust the legal process.
We explained to Alasdair that even when you're directly affected by an outcome like a financial settlement, confidentiality still applies. You aren't automatically entitled to see the private advice given to the other side.
However, we did let Alasdair know that we could look into any concerns he had about how the solicitor had treated him personally.
Because of the confidentiality rules, we could not investigate what his ex-partner had said to her solicitor. This is a common point of confusion, but it is an important part of the legal process. The investigator explained this to Alisdair.
Alisdair left with a clear understanding of the process and felt reassured that these rules help protect everyone involved in a settlement.
Our role is to assess whether there is evidence that the solicitor:
• Acted in line with their professional obligations
• Maintained a reasonable standard of professional service
He believed he and his ex-partner had already settled their finances for their divorce, so he was surprised when her solicitor proposed changes and asked for more financial details. When the solicitor refused to explain why his ex-partner had changed her mind, Alisdair worried they were acting improperly. When he complained to the solicitor, they said they hadn’t done anything wrong, so he complained to the SLCC.
He was frustrated that he was being kept in the dark about what his ex-partner had actually said and why her story had changed. To him, this secrecy felt improper; he worried that the solicitor might be hiding something or failing to follow the correct process. He felt that without a clear explanation, he couldn't trust that the divorce was being handled fairly.
When our investigator looked into Alasdair’s complaint, they found no evidence that the solicitor was trying to hide information. Instead, they were simply following the professional rules that protect a client’s confidentiality.
These rules are vital, they protect everyone's privacy and ensure we can all trust the legal process.
We explained to Alasdair that even when you're directly affected by an outcome like a financial settlement, confidentiality still applies. You aren't automatically entitled to see the private advice given to the other side.
However, we did let Alasdair know that we could look into any concerns he had about how the solicitor had treated him personally.
Because of the confidentiality rules, we could not investigate what his ex-partner had said to her solicitor. This is a common point of confusion, but it is an important part of the legal process. The investigator explained this to Alisdair.
Alisdair left with a clear understanding of the process and felt reassured that these rules help protect everyone involved in a settlement.
• Maintained a reasonable standard of professional service