Master Policy brokers publish letters of engagement guide

A guide for solicitors on letters of engagement has been published by Lockton, the professional indemnity broker for the Law Society of Scotland’s Master Policy.

The interactive guide aims to provide information on the variety of topics that solicitors might want to consider when preparing their letters of engagement, the mandatory terms of business letters that solicitors must send their client on accepting appointment.

It has been prepared by Gail Cook and Matthew Thomson, client executives at Lockton, with input from a practising solicitor.

Mr Thomson commented: "A properly worded letter establishes the framework in which the client relationship is managed. It is a valuable risk management tool.

"For many firms, the question of how to structure and draft the letter of engagement can be challenging. This guide is intended to highlight key aspects of a typical letter of engagement, explain the reasoning around why solicitors might want to include certain sections and also provide suggestions on matters to consider when preparing their letters."

Ms Cook added: "The Lead insurers on the Master Policy have advised that a more rigorous approach to terms of engagement could have prevented circumstances where claims have arisen. We have therefore prepared this guide, providing information on the variety of topics which should be included within them.

"We hope solicitors will find it useful – whether they are reviewing their own firm templates, or preparing letters for specific client matters."

Click here to access the guide.