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Power of Society to impose sanctions for charging excessive fees.
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9.—(1) Where the Society receive a complaint from a client of a solicitor, or from any person on behalf of such client, that a solicitor has issued a bill of costs that is excessive, in respect of legal services provided or purported to have been provided by that solicitor, the Society, unless they are satisfied that the complaint is frivolous or vexatious, shall investigate the complaint and shall take all appropriate steps to resolve the matter by agreement between the parties concerned and may, if they are satisfied that the bill of costs is excessive, direct the solicitor to comply or to secure compliance with one or both of the following requirements, namely—
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(a) a requirement to refund without delay, whether wholly or to any specified extent, any amount already paid by or on behalf of the client in respect of the solicitor's costs in connection with the said legal services;
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(b) a requirement to waive, whether wholly or to any specified extent, the right to recover those costs.
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(2) Nothing in subsection (1) of this section shall prevent any person from exercising any existing right in law to require a solicitor to submit a bill of costs to a Taxing Master of the High Court for taxation on a solicitor and own client basis.
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(3) Where the Society have received a complaint under subsection (1) of this section and the client concerned (before or after the receipt of the complaint) has duly requested the solicitor concerned to submit his bill of costs to a Taxing Master of the High Court for taxation on a solicitor and own client basis, the Society shall not make a direction under subsection (1) of this section unless, after due notice to that solicitor, they are of the opinion that the solicitor or his agent in that regard is unreasonably delaying in submitting such bill of costs to a Taxing Master of the High Court for such taxation.
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(4) Where a bill of costs, which has been the subject of a complaint under subsection (1) of this section has been subsequently taxed, then—
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(a) if the Society have given a direction under subsection (1) of this section, such direction shall cease to have effect, or
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(b) if the Society have not given a direction under subsection (1) of this section, the Society shall not enter upon or proceed with the investigation of such complaint or otherwise apply the provisions of this section.
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(5) Where the Society have notified a solicitor of the making of a complaint under subsection (1) of this section in relation to a bill of costs issued by that solicitor, the solicitor shall not—
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(a) issue or cause to be issued civil proceedings (whether on his own behalf or on behalf of any other person or persons), or
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(b) if already issued, proceed further with civil proceedings,
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in relation to the amount (or any part thereof) of such bill of costs without the written consent of the Society before the Society has completed any investigation of the complaint pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, unless on application by that solicitor, on notice to the Society, a court otherwise orders.
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(6) The Society shall not enter upon or proceed with the investigation of a complaint under this section or otherwise apply the provisions of this section, where the Society are of the opinion that the bill of costs, the subject of such complaint, was issued prior to a date that is five years before the date on which the complaint was made.
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(7) The Society, with the concurrence of the President of the High Court, may make rules of procedure in relation to complaints received by the Society under this section.
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