In an increasingly complex legal environment, it is imperative that solicitors exercise the highest level of diligence when onboarding new clients. The recent warning from the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority (SRA) and advice from Motor Industry Legal Services (MILS) highlight the critical necessity for solicitors to verify the identity of every client before commencing any substantive work. This is not just best practice; it is an essential obligation to avoid serious professional and legal repercussions.
The Risk of Unauthorised Representation
Motor Industry Legal Services (an SRA regulated law firm) has said it believes that claims management companies are raising complaints or subject access requests without proper authorisation from their clients. If a solicitor or claims management company cannot produce a letter of authority, it contends, there is no obligation to respond to these requests.