Code of Conduct

  1. Core Principles
    1. Law firm members agree to adhere to the following core principles in relation to the conduct of claimant collective redress actions:
      1. always act in the best interests of clients;
      2. conduct claims as efficiently as possible;
      3. collaborate, where appropriate, with other firms instructed in cases to ensure they are run as efficiently and effectively as possible; and
      4. develop and maintain expertise in collective redress proceedings.
  2. Conduct of cases
    1. Law firm members agree to:
      1. conduct cases in accordance with the core principles set out above;
      2. comply with the provisions and overriding objective of the Civil Procedure Rules;
      3. comply with their professional obligations;
      4. conduct themselves in accordance with the SRA Principles a way which inspires the confidence of their peers and the public;
      5. keep informed and educated in current law and procedure relating to their work;
      6. not pursue any frivolous and spurious claims, issues or positions.
  3. Funding of cases
    1. Law firm members agree to:
      1. maintain adequate financial resources in order to meet their obligations to fund all of the disputes in relation to which they are instructed;
      2. ensure they only enter into damages-based agreements (DBAs) which are properly documented and comply with all relevant regulations such as the Damages-Based Agreements Regulations 2013;
      3. ensure they only enter into conditional fee arrangements (CFAs) which are properly documented and comply with all relevant regulations including the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990;
      4. ensure cases are funded through arrangements which comply with the professional obligations and do not risk bringing the legal profession or the collective redress industry into disrepute.
  4. Dealing with consumer clients
    1. Law firm members will:
      1. maintain the highest standards of integrity in dealing with consumers;
      2. put clients’ best interests first;
      3. publish promotional literature and matter-related information which is clear and not misleading;
      4. maintain a complaints procedure which is available to clients and easy to understand;
      5. keep clients regularly informed as to the conduct of their claims in clear, concise communications, drafted in plain English;
      6. if unable to deal with a particular consumer’s case for any reason, will act only in the consumer’s best interests in suggesting a referral to another law firm.
  5. Practice standards
    1. Law firm members agree to adhere to the following practice standards:
      1. adhere to the Code of Conduct of the Solicitors Regulation Authority;
      2. have implemented or are in the process of implementing ISO/IEC 27001:2013 (ISO 27001) international standard for cyber security;
      3. provide regular training for staff in relation to best practice in relation to dispute resolution and collective redress.