When a client first seeks assistance from a solicitor, it is the solicitor’s responsibility to examine the claim and recommend a course of action.
To accomplish this, the solicitor must review all relevant documentation received from the client and form an opinion on the client’s chances of success.
The solicitor may tell the client that their claim is weak and that they should try to settle it as soon as feasible. Alternatively, the solicitor may say to the client that a claim filed against them is frivolous and that they have a strong defence.
Civil litigation/dispute resolution solicitors file court papers, handle discovery, and compose witness statements. They advise Counsel to attend the trial, prepare trial bundles, and all the court’s pre-and post-trial material necessary.
Civil litigation/dispute resolution lawyers regularly attend mediation and settlement discussions, in which all parties sit around a table and try to reach an agreement. Arbitration is another prominent form of Alternative Dispute Resolution, depending on the nature of the dispute.
Depending on the business, you may be able to undertake some advocacy by representing your client at interim court petitions, case management conferences, and pre-trial hearings.
The litigation lawyer will meet with the Counsel and the client to discuss the case and trial preparations. The solicitor has a dual-duty at the trial: they are there to aid the barrister if they have any questions about the case or need instructions, and they are also there to ensure that the client knows what is going on around them, as the court can be rather frightening for regular people.
