British barristers can be sued
i NZPA-Reuter London ] it : In a historic legal deci- 1 [sion, the House of Lords has!' ruled that barristers, the 1 [group of British lawyers j admitted to the Bar, can be j sued for negligence. Prior to the majority deci-: 1 sion by a panel of five Law!! Lords, barristers were im- [ 1 mune from being sued by I dissatisfied clients. ; 1 This was not true of solic-j itors. the main body of Brit-p ish lawyers, who can be j sued in the courts. : < “A barrister’s supposed! l blanket immunity for negli- h gence in respect of any!]
paperwork cannot survive inl the realistic atmosphere of! the late 20th century,” Lord ■Salmon said in passing judgment. “I recognise that it is most unpleasant for a bar-: rister to have to fight an al-. 1 legation that he has been negligent, but such an ex-. I perience is no more unplea- : I sant for a barrister than it I is for a physician, surgeon, architect, or accountant.” The decision will enable: [clients to sue barristers only! I in certain cases, and applies! i only to work done by barris-! iters in preparation for al case, not to what takes: 'place in the court. 1
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Press, 4 November 1978, Page 8
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209British barristers can be sued Press, 4 November 1978, Page 8
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