Our latest e-learning course, Working with Vulnerable Clients, helps law firms meet a duty that affects almost every fee earner: recognising and responding to client vulnerability.
Working with vulnerable clients: what solicitors need to know
Vulnerability is not a fixed category. The Law Society is clear that living with a disability, illness or diagnosis does not in itself make a client vulnerable: it is a person’s situation, and the barriers they face, that can put them at a disadvantage in accessing and using legal services. It might show up as a language barrier, a learning disability, neurodivergence, poor mental health, a physical disability, or a client under the coercive influence of someone else.
Solicitors are required, under the SRA Principles and the Codes of Conduct for Solicitors and for Firms, to take account of a client’s attributes, needs and circumstances. Getting this wrong carries real consequences: disciplinary action, client complaints, and negligence claims, as well as lasting damage to the trust a firm depends on.
Vulnerable Clients Training
Would your team recognise the signs of vulnerability, and know what to do next?
Our Working with Vulnerable Clients e-learning is self-paced, with interactive scenarios and knowledge checks throughout. It covers how to identify vulnerability, make reasonable adjustments, and record and monitor client needs in line with SRA and Law Society expectations.
By embedding this awareness across all levels of the firm, law firms can reduce risk while making sure every client, whatever their circumstances, receives a fair and equal service.
