Confidentiality is at the heart of the relationship between a solicitor and client. Clients tell you things they tell no one else, and they need to trust that what they share stays private. That trust is protected by a strict professional duty — one that begins the moment information is shared and can last for ever. Knowing precisely what the duty covers, when you may lawfully disclose, and where its limits lie is essential to acting safely on any matter.
This lesson works through the duty step by step:
- The Duty and Who It Binds — what confidentiality protects, when it starts and ends, and everyone inside a firm who is bound by it.
- Breach of the Duty — why the duty is strict, and how careless, accidental, or internal disclosures can still breach it.
- Exceptions to the Duty — the recognised routes by which confidential information may lawfully be disclosed.
- Money Laundering and Ongoing Crime — disclosure under the AML regime, the tipping-off prohibition, and when you must cease acting.
- Confidentiality–Disclosure Conflicts and Consequences — what happens when duties to two clients clash, and the claims a client can bring.
- Distinction from Legal Professional Privilege — how confidentiality and privilege differ in scope, strength, and exceptions.