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Ethics and Professional Conduct Flashcards

6 cards from real SQE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 6 Ethics and Professional Conduct flashcards as text

  1. Under the SRA Standards and Regulations, what is the overriding duty of a solicitor?

    Answer: To the court and the rule of law, above the interests of the client

    Principle 1 of the SRA Principles requires solicitors to uphold the rule of law and the proper administration of justice, which overrides all other duties including to the client.

  2. When must a solicitor cease acting for a client due to a conflict of interest?

    Answer: When there is a significant risk that acting for one client will materially affect the interests of another

    Under the SRA Codes of Conduct, a solicitor must not act where there is a significant risk of a conflict of interest between two or more clients, subject to limited exceptions with informed consent.

  3. What is the duty of 'confidentiality' owed by a solicitor to their client?

    Answer: A duty to keep all information relating to the client's matter confidential, even after the retainer ends

    The duty of confidentiality is permanent and survives the end of the retainer — solicitors must not disclose client information without authority, even years later.

  4. What is 'legal professional privilege' (LPP) and who can waive it?

    Answer: Protection for confidential lawyer-client communications; only the client can waive it

    LPP protects qualifying confidential communications from disclosure; it belongs to the client, not the solicitor, so only the client can choose to waive it.

  5. Under the SRA's 'Principles', which Principle requires solicitors to act with integrity?

    Answer: Principle 5

    SRA Principle 5 requires that solicitors act with integrity in all that they do, covering honesty, trustworthiness, and consistency of professional behaviour.

  6. What obligation does a solicitor have if they discover that their client has given them false information that has been passed to the court?

    Answer: They must cease to act if the client refuses to correct the position, but cannot reveal the false information without consent

    A solicitor cannot actively mislead the court; if the client refuses to correct false information, the solicitor must cease acting but cannot breach confidentiality by revealing it.