27 Aug 2020 Insight London
Article - By Tom Leech QC

The Law of Solicitors' Liabilities, Fourth Edition, previously known as Solicitors' Negligence and Liability, has recently been released. The publication, previously known as Solicitors' Negligence and Liability, was written by leading practitioners in the field Tom Leech QC and William Flenley QC of Hailsham Chambers with contributions from Thomas Grant QC (Maitland Chambers), Nicola Rushton QC (Hailsham Chambers), Alice Nash (Hailsham Chambers) and Matthew Bonye (Herbert Smith Freehills).

The new fourth edition provides a comprehensive guide to all aspects of solicitors' negligence, liability in equity and wasted costs and deals with a variety of topics, from general principles to specific situations, providing practical guidance to the procedural aspects of bringing and defending a claim for solicitors' negligence. It also includes:

  • A new chapter on insurance law focusing on a number of key topics which arise, particularly in relation to solicitors' insurance: aggregation; condonation; definition of private legal practice; notification; successor practice rules.
  • Updated case law to cover all recent Supreme Court and Court of Appeal decisions, eg Hughes-Holland v BPE (Supreme Court) scope of duty and extent of damages; Redler v AIB (Supreme Court): breach of trust; Lowick Rose v Swynson (Supreme Court): lifting the corporate veil in claims against professionals; Tiuta International v de Villiers (Court of Appeal): lenders' claims, impact of a remortgage on damages; Wellesley v Withers (Court of Appeal): test for remoteness of damage; and E Surv v Goldsmith Williams (Court of Appeal): implied duty on solicitors in lenders' claims.
  • Regulatory/disciplinary developments, eg revised SRA Code of Conduct.

The book can be purchased via the link here, using a discount code of BPSLHSF20

Legal Notice

The contents of this publication are for reference purposes only and may not be current as at the date of accessing this publication. They do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Specific legal advice about your specific circumstances should always be sought separately before taking any action based on this publication.

© Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer 2026

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