Client Referrals from Other Solicitors

Testimonial from Tony Murphy, solicitor, about client referrals from other solicitors.

Donoghue Solicitors accepts client referrals from other solicitors, including legal aid lawyers and those who do not specialise in actions against the police. Here we explain to referring solicitors how this benefits all involved, but especially clients.

Contact us to refer your client on 08000 124 246 or complete the online form on this page.

Specialist Advice in Actions Against the Police

You want to be confident in your decision when making a referral to another firm of solicitors. Here are seven reasons why we believe we are the right choice for your client referral:

1. We specialise in representing claimants, never the police or insurers, in actions against the police. Click on the link to read about these claims, and follow the links on that page to read more, including why your clients should use us and case reports of successful claims.
2. Our clients rate us highly. Read some of their genuine reviews to find out why and how we act in our clients’ best interests.
3. We are confident in our abilities and willing to consider cases others refuse. We often take solicitor-referred cases on a conditional (“no win no fee”) basis, meaning that our clients have no up-front charges to pay and the valuable protection of a conditional fee agreement in the event their claim fails. Read more about this, other funding options, and our transparent fee structure here.
4. We are respected by our peers and other legal professionals. Donoghue Solicitors was awarded the Niche Law Firm Award by an independent expert judging panel at the 2015 Liverpool Law Society Awards. It said:

“Donoghue Solicitors have developed a niche specialism in civil actions against the police. Their work covers complex areas of law and practice, frequently combining a range of personal injury, privacy and Human Rights issues.

“The judges were impressed with their commitment to working with clients who are seeking to attain justice and challenge misconduct. The cases frequently involve important issues of principle pertaining to client confidentiality and reputational damage.

“There is a clear and significant commitment to widening access to justice.”

Our reputation in civil actions against the police means that we represent our fellow lawyers. Read this case study to find out how we helped a criminal defence solicitor remove police biometric data, and this Law Society Gazette article which explains how we helped another.

5. Solicitor Director, Kevin Donoghue leads our actions against the police team. Kevin is a renowned expert in police misconduct claims. He trains other lawyers in this area of law, writes about the topic in legal journals and blogs, provides expert commentary to the BBC and others in media reporting (radio and online), and represents other solicitors in their claims against the police.
6. We represent clients throughout England and Wales from our offices in Liverpool city centre. We also have meeting facilities in London and Bootle (North Liverpool), and can virtually meet clients via skype/ facetime. (Unfortunately, we can’t help with matters outside England and Wales. For Scottish law matters we recommend you contact The Law Society of Scotland.)
7. We routinely consider referrals from other solicitors, particularly those working at criminal law firms who come across false imprisonment etc. cases. We are familiar with the processes involved, need to preserve evidence, etc., and act quickly to ensure our clients’ cases have the best possible prospects of success.

Solicitors- contact Kevin Donoghue, Solicitor Director of Donoghue Solicitors, with your client referrals.

No Poaching Policy

We know how hard it is to attract and retain clients, and that you may be sceptical of referring them to other lawyers. We understand, which is why we have a strict “no poaching” policy. Speak directly to our Solicitor Director, Kevin Donoghue. He’ll provide you with the assurances you need.

Referrals from Legal Aid Firms

Although Donoghue Solicitors are not legal aid lawyers, we are happy to investigate referrals from firms which have a legal aid franchise.

Some firms can run actions against the police under the “tolerance” afforded to their civil legal aid contract, but may be unwilling or unable to do so due to lack of expertise in this niche area, staff/ financial resources, or practice management policies which prohibit taking police misconduct claims.

Even without these law firm-based restrictions, the bar for clients to get legal aid in actions against the police is high. See the legal aid section on our funding options and no win no fee police claims page for more details.

We are happy to review your client’s case if you think they would be refused legal aid but still have a potential claim, which we may be able to pursue under a “no win no fee” agreement.

Complying with the SRA Code of Conduct on Introductions and Referrals

We strictly comply with the SRA Code of Conduct 2011. Among others things, this means following the rules on introductions (Chapter 6) and referrals (Chapter 9).

Solicitors referring clients to Donoghue Solicitors should ensure any referral complies with Chapter 6. (Click here to read it.) Broadly, you must ensure that the referral is in your client’s best interests and that you retain your independence.

For the reasons above, you can be confident that your client will be in safe hands and that is in their best interests to have their police misconduct claim handled by our specialist lawyers.

To ensure compliance with Outcomes 6.2 and 6.4 (declaring a financial or other interest and ensuring that you are not paid a prohibited referral fee) we strictly comply with the ban on referral fees in personal injury matters. As actions against the police commonly include personal injury claims (e.g. for police assault/battery) WE DO NOT PAY REFERRAL FEES OR OFFER OTHER IN-KIND INCENTIVES.

From our perspective, among other things we must ensure that we comply with Chapter 9. In particular, this means ensuring that any referral arrangements do not compromise client trust and that clients’ interests are protected regardless of both firm’s interests.

Contact us to find out more about our ethical approach to referrals and compliance.

How Do I Refer My Client to Donoghue Solicitors?

We want to make it as easy as possible for you to refer your clients to us.

Please complete the online form on this page. In the “Tell Us What Happened” section simply state that you are a lawyer looking to refer your client to Donoghue Solicitors. You don’t need to include more than that. We’ll call you to discuss everything.

Alternatively, call us on 08000 124 246 and, again, explain who you are and that you have a new client referral. We’ll ensure a suitable lawyer is available to take your call.

We look forward to helping your clients get the justice they deserve.