Recorded Webinar: Ethical Challenges with Letters of Advice and Demand (Legal Ethics)

This session examines the ethical dimensions of the bread and butter mainstays of practice – letters of demand and advice. The ethical parameters are explored to ensure that everyday matters do not create unnecessary ethics headaches. It includes:

• Letters of demand:

  • Don’t overstate or mislead

  • Legal costs and ‘extras’ – ensuring the right to payment

  • Not misdescribing the nature of the latter

  • Use of language and format of latter

  • Not threatening ‘trouble’ in letters of demand

  • When you should not take on the work

  • Ethical issues in researching the claim

• Letters of advice:

  • Summarizing the case – is there an ethical overlay here?

  • Stating what needs to be addressed and the solution options

  • Recommendations and proposed course of actions – ethical parameters

  • Factual gaps, assumptions and requests for information

  • Laying it on the line for the client – does this have an ethical dimension?

  • Case study – the perfect letter of demand?