Legal Profession Act 1976 · Updated to 1 Aug 2018 · Part VIII · Remuneration of Advocates and Solicitors
120. Where client changes counsel before agreement performed
Feedback & supportNotwithstanding the existence of any agreement under section 116, a client may change his advocate and solicitor before the conclusion of the business to which the agreement relates and in that case the advocate and solicitor who is a party to the agreement shall be deemed to have become incapable of acting under the same within the meaning of this section.
client
“client” includes— (a) in relation to contentious business, any person who as a principal or on behalf of another person retains or employs, an advocate and solicitor, and any person who is or may be liable to pay a solicitor’s costs; (b) in relation to non-contentious business, any person, who as a principal or on behalf of another, or as a trustee, executor or administrator, or in any other capacity, has power, express or implied, to retain or employ, and retains or employs, an advocate and solicitor, and any person for the time being liable to pay an advocate and solicitor for his service and costs;
Upon any order being made for taxation of the amount due to an advocate and solicitor in respect of business done under the agreement, the Court shall direct the Registrar to have regard to the circumstances under which the change of advocate and solicitor has taken place.
advocate and solicitor
“advocate and solicitor” includes the executors, administrators and assignees of the advocate and solicitor in question. Legal Profession 141 Advocate and solicitor entitled to charge on property for costs
Upon taxation the advocate and solicitor shall not be considered to be entitled to the full amount of the remuneration agreed to be paid to him unless it appears that there has been no default, negligence, improper delay or other conduct on his part affording reasonable ground to the client for changing his advocate and solicitor.