The conduct rules that constrain a solicitor's dealings with opponents and third parties — from fair dealing and honest communication to the binding force of undertakings.
Acting in a client's best interests never licenses sharp practice against everyone else. This chapter starts with the prohibition on taking unfair advantage, the care owed to unrepresented opponents and the limits on contacting a represented party directly, before examining honesty in negotiation — what need not be volunteered, when true statements still mislead, and how to respond when a client instructs a falsehood. It then separates legitimate warnings of legal action from improper threats, and works through undertakings: what counts as one, why performance is owed even if the client fails to cooperate, and how they are discharged and interpreted. It closes with enforcement — the firm's responsibility, the consequences of breach, and personal liability for agents' fees.
