By Glenda Carry -
Snapshot
- As a junior solicitor, you may unexpectedly find yourself in the position of being asked by friends or family to provide legal advice.
- If not handled properly these situations can be high risk.
- There are simple risk management tips for junior lawyers to help manage these situations.
It’s Friday evening and you’re having after work drinks with friends. You are celebrating your recent admission to the Australian legal profession and surviving your first week as a personal injury solicitor. As the night progresses, your friend Lucy is keen to chat about all the drama going on following the recent purchase of her first home. Lucy tells you that after investing all her savings into the property, she unexpectedly had to borrow over $1000 to pay a locksmith and to have rubbish removed. Worse still, certain items the vendor verbally agreed to leave are gone. With no savings and servicing a gigantic mortgage, Lucy cannot afford to buy the missing items or retain a solicitor to act on her behalf. You feel bad for Lucy. With a few glasses of wine onboard, you tell her not to worry, as by the sounds of things there was a verbal contract and you will make sure she is compensated. You ask Lucy to send you the vendor’s details and say you will get a letter out first thing Monday morning! Even better – it will not cost her a thing!
