What Is the Conflict Check?
Before a solicitor review or a judge or barrister review can go ahead, a conflict check confirms that the reviewing firm is not already engaged with the other party in your case - as a client, an enquirer, or a prior contact. It is quick, it is free, and you are not charged anything until it is clear.
Why do you need to do a conflict check?
Solicitors are required to check they are not already representing the other party in your case before they can act for you. It protects both sides and is a standard requirement across the legal profession. You can read more in Resolution’s good practice guide. It is required by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and is designed to identify potential conflicts of interest. WhatWouldAJudgeSay applies the same best practice even though it is not regulated by the SRA.
Can we come to you together, as a couple?
Yes. Even if you are approaching us jointly, we are still required to run a conflict check on both of you. Our records go back many years, so we need to confirm whether either of you has had contact with us in the past. This is an SRA regulatory requirement, and it applies regardless of how you approach us.
Will someone call me straight away?
We generally wait until your conflict check is complete before discussing the details of your situation, to protect the confidentiality of everyone involved. Once the check is clear - usually the same day - we will contact you at a time that works. If you would rather talk sooner, you can request a call back from our client care team. They can explain the process, though cannot discuss your case.
What happens if a conflict is flagged?
If there is a conflict, we will write to let you know we are unable to act for you. No payment link is sent, and you are not charged. Because Paradigm Family Law LLP is bound by solicitor confidentiality obligations, they are not able to explain why. You are welcome to take your SmartJudge report to any other family law firm in England and Wales for a solicitor’s opinion.
Got a question we have not answered here?
Prefer to talk it through first? A member of our client care team can explain the process and answer questions. Please note this is not a solicitor, and the call cannot cover the details of your case - that can only happen once your conflict check is complete. For the solicitor review, see Paradigm Family Law’s contact us page to get in touch by phone, form, WhatsApp or a meeting. If it relates to the judge or barrister review, see WhatWouldAJudgeSay’s contact us page.
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