Lawyers Suing Lawyers, Can You Really Take Legal Action Against Your Own Solicitor?
- Justeen Dormer
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Professional Negligence
This article explores how legal professionals can be held accountable for professional negligence, whether it is missed deadlines, poor advice, or carelessness that leads to financial loss. If your solicitor’s actions have caused you to lose money or miss a legal opportunity, you may have a claim. The process can be complex, but sometimes it is the only way to make things right.
It might sound like something from a courtroom drama, but in real life, lawyers can and do get sued by their own clients.
If your lawyer has let you down, whether through carelessness, poor advice, or missing critical deadlines, you may be entitled to compensation. These cases are serious, not just because of the financial loss involved, but because of the breach of trust that often comes with it.
When you hire a lawyer, you rely on their expertise. You trust them to guide you through complex matters, to protect your rights, and to act in your best interests. But what happens when your lawyer is the one who makes the mistake?
In New South Wales, professional negligence by a lawyer occurs when they fail to perform their duties with the care and skill expected of a competent legal professional, and that failure causes you financial harm. Not every mistake or poor outcome qualifies, but when the error is serious and the impact is significant, the law may be on your side.
Examples of legal professional negligence include failing to file documents within court deadlines, giving incorrect or misleading legal advice, poorly drafting contracts or wills, or failing to act altogether. If that mistake caused you to lose money, miss out on a legal opportunity, or face unnecessary costs, you may have grounds to sue your lawyer for damages.
To succeed in a professional negligence claim against a lawyer, you must show three things. First, that your lawyer owed you a duty of care. Second, that they breached that duty by acting below the accepted professional standard. And third, that the breach caused you actual loss.
Claims like these are never easy, but they are sometimes necessary. If your lawyer failed to act and you lost your case because of it, or if you were pressured into a poor settlement because of legal missteps, the consequences can be long lasting. You may face not only financial stress, but emotional frustration at not being properly represented.
At Dormer Stanhope, we understand how difficult it can be to question the conduct of a legal professional. But we also know how important it is to hold professionals accountable, even when they are in the legal profession themselves. We will work with you to assess whether a claim can be made, help you understand your rights, and guide you through the process.
If your case is valid, we will collect the evidence needed to prove both the breach of duty and the harm you suffered. That may include expert reports from other lawyers, financial records, and key documents. Our goal is to recover the compensation you deserve and help restore the position you would have been in if the negligence had not occurred.
We offer our professional negligence services on a no win no fee basis.
If your solicitor’s mistake has cost you financially or legally, you may have a professional negligence claim. Dormer Stanhope can help you hold them accountable.
Contact us today to find out if you have a case.