Solicitors have been warned against sending offensive emails or letters, or making offensive social media posts, after a spate of incidents.
In a warning notice last week, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) took the unusual step of urging solicitors to make sure their communications are always professional, lawful and do not cause offence. It specifically warned that online comments posted in a personal capacity and which might be deemed offensive or inappropriate could be classed as misconduct if the poster can be identified as a solicitor.
The SRA issued the notice following an increase in reports of solicitors falling below expected standards.
One solicitor sent a string of offensive late-night tweets, leading to a rebuke. Another solicitor was fined £25,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal after making comments on Facebook that he admitted were ‘offensive’ and ‘wholly inappropriate’.
Three solicitors at the same firm who exchanged offensive emails about a colleague were fined a total of £14,000 and ordered to pay more than £7,000 of costs. A solicitor was fined £15,000 for emailing a client using language described as ‘despicable’ by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT).
Paul Philip, SRA chief executive, said: ‘Public confidence in the profession is undermined by offensive or inappropriate communication and the misuse of social media can be a real problem.
‘But this is also about communication within an office or to clients. Solicitors cannot justify their conduct by saying that the communication was private, or they did not intend to cause offence, or that recipients were not offended.’
