Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

Client definition

What does Client mean? In legal practice, a client is the person or organisation for whom a lawyer or law firm acts and to whom professional duties are owed. This includes individuals, companies, partnerships and public bodies, whether instructing directly or through an agent. The term is a general professional expression rather than a statutory definition; its scope is shaped by engagement terms (the retainer) and by professional conduct rules and case law on duties of care, conflicts of interest, confidentiality and legal professional privilege. Key features include: identifying the correct client at the outset (especially for corporate clients, where the client is the entity,...

Offering Unbundled/PAYG Client Services: Risk Management, Retainer Limits, Systems, Training, Fees and Insurance (England and Wales)

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Practice notes

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This Practice Note is aimed at law firms. It outlines the main points to weigh up when delivering advice or advocacy on an unbundled basis or under a pay as you go (PAYG) retainer. If you are thinking about splitting legal services to, or from, a separate business, refer as well to Practice Note: Separate business and unbundling legal services 2019.

Risks of unbundling services

The hazards associated with unbundling, especially in a PAYG model, often arise from confusion between firm and client about what the retainer actually covers. This can heighten the prospect of professional negligence and/or misconduct where the fee earner:

lacks adequate understanding of the client’s situation
does not make sure the client plainly understands the limits of the service being provided, and/or
inadvertently, through what they do or fail to do, establishes a full retainer—and so takes on the liabilities implied by that arrangement

Insufficient knowledge

You might be instructed to advise without access to the complete file, depending solely on what the client supplies. Any guidance or support given is wholly contingent...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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