Webinar On Demand - Lawfully Terminating the Retainer – The Why, When and How

1 CPD Unit – Ethics and Professional Responsibility

How do you best go about sacking a client?

There are a range of circumstances in which a legal practitioner may consider withdrawing from acting for a client. Non-payment of fees or a lack of client communication may appear to justify termination of the engagement, but are these reasons always sufficient? What steps should be taken if a conflict of interest is identified part-way through a matter?

Even when there are valid grounds to withdraw, the process is rarely straightforward and can expose practitioners to legal, ethical and professional risk. Clear and effective communication is essential in managing these situations.

In this webinar, Lawfully Terminating the Retainer – The Why, When and How, Divina Moodley from Polaris Lawyers will examine when and on what grounds you may terminate a retainer or engagement. She will provide practical guidance on the factors that influence risk, appropriate withdrawal procedures, ethical obligations and effective communication strategies.

Topics covered will include:

• Grounds to terminate a retainer;
• Communication leading up to and after the termination;
• Timing of the termination;
• What to say if you are withdrawing due to a conflict of interest;
• Protecting the client’s best interests;
• Termination clauses;
• Professional conduct rules;
• Obtaining court approval.

Continuing Professional Development

Legal CPD:

WA legal practitioners (QA Provider ID 29250)

1 CPD Unit, CPD Obligation Field 3 – Ethics and Professional Responsibility. To ensure you receive your CPD Units for this event, please provide us with your Legal Practice Board Practitioner ID during registration. Note: CPD Units are only available for participation in the live webinar. At this time, webinar recordings (for those that are registered but unable to attend) are not eligible for WA Legal CPD Units.

Legal practitioners outside of WA

If you consider that this webinar satisfies your individual requirement, or is relevant to your immediate or long-term professional development needs, you may claim 0.5 CPD Units for every 30 minutes of attendance and participation.

Accounting CPD:

1 CPD Point

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Presenter: Divina Moodley
Principal & Director, Polaris Lawyers

Divina Moodley is an accredited specialist in personal injury law. She has been in the personal injury industry for about 16 years, always acting on behalf of injured people.

Being born and spending most of her childhood in South Africa, Divina has a deep understanding of inequality, and the limitations people face in accessing justice. It is for this reason that Divina has pursued a career in assisting injured people.

The legal system can be difficult to navigate and particularly daunting. Divina is dedicated to ensuring that her clients understand the legal process and feel supported and informed at each step. Divina prides herself on her empathetic approach. She is a fierce advocate for her clients and understands that each client’s story is different.

Prior to commencing at Polaris Lawyers, Divina worked at large plaintiff law firms. Throughout her career, Divina has conducted extensive litigation in the Magistrates, County and Supreme Courts.