Am I responsible to pick up relations legal bill?

[Kentish]

This is a really long story so I won't go into full detail but basically my relation was approached by a senior partner at a solicitor she was using to defend her being evicted from her own property. He said he could help after his more junior partner let my relation down rather badly.

Mediation was used to come to an agreement, for other reasons my relation is unable to fund buying out this other persons and on the advice of the solicitor who approached her she fought this other person and has run up a £10k legal bill which she'll be unable to pay and she may also become homeless too.

I'm sure we can sort out somewhere for her to stay. The solicitor also met with me on several occasions to discuss matters with my realtion, does this make me his client too?

I'm worried that he'll come after me now for the £10k instead.

I didn't sign anything or agree to anything regarding fees with him.

Can he ask me for the money?

[Plotloss]

No contract, no contract.

[Kentish]

Plotloss said:

No contract, no contract.

Thanks Matt.

I was a bit worried that I may be viewed as his client too.

I really don't know what will happen now. One outsiders greed is likely to cost my relative their home, the moeny they have put into it for over 6 years and £10k+ legal fees.

The solicitor knew my relative didn't have any funds available to pay him unless she won and was able to raise sufficient funds and all along he said it was not a problem.

[Pot Bellied Fool]

Kentish said:

The solicitor knew my relative didn't have any funds available to pay him unless she won and was able to raise sufficient funds and all along he said it was not a problem.

Check the various bits of paper the relative signed at the outset (should have got client care letter from Solicitor's Practice at outset I believe) - in 'no win, no fee' cases I believe there's often an insurance in place to insure against losing the case? In which case the outlay to the relative may be in the hundreds rather than thousands.

One of PH's legal eagles will no doubt know far more than me!

[Eric Mc]

There should be a "Letter of Engagement" in place setting out the solicitor's and the clients rights and responsibilities. If youy aren't mentioned in that letter or if you are but you never saw or signed the letter, you should have no worries.

[trickywoo]

I seem to remember from some distant legal studies that you don't have to pay Solicitor's fees because they can't sue you for it (or something). You might be put on some kind of list meaning you would never get legal advice ever again though.

However as said above I can't see how they ca ask you for the fees.

[Kentish]

Wow, thanks folks for all the responses.

I know I didn't sign anything so should be OK.

I think the fees are a bit steep, I did a lot of the background work for him and he even used several of my e-mails verbatim to the opposition and he's charging over £10k!