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Advice please

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Tomslink

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Hello all,
I’m wondering about solicitors - would anyone know why they would require a full list of potential evasions, though they aren’t required to be declared to the train operating company? What is necessary for solicitors to make a proper case?
Thanks
 
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Hadders

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We need to know more details to be able to answer the question.

What is the background to this?
 

skyhigh

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Partly because the best way to provide good advice is to have the full picture as to what your client has done.
 

Gloster

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Indeed. You are paying the solicitor a lot of money to write letters that will be precisely written in order to obtain the desired result. If he does not have the full details, even if he does not disclose them to whoever he is writing to, he may make a statement in them that will damage your case.
 

AlterEgo

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Hello all,
I’m wondering about solicitors - would anyone know why they would require a full list of potential evasions, though they aren’t required to be declared to the train operating company? I’m not sure why they would need a full list unless they use it to find a quick settlement with the train company by providing it to them…
Thanks
It's good practice for solicitors to be apprised of all the facts when they represent you.

Do not conceal anything from your solicitor; this is not in your interest or theirs. Your solicitor is a qualified and regulated legal professional whom you should trust implicitly, much more so than anonymous internet contributors.
 

Deafdoggie

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Hello all,
I’m wondering about solicitors - would anyone know why they would require a full list of potential evasions, though they aren’t required to be declared to the train operating company? What is necessary for solicitors to make a proper case?
Thanks
Many reasons. Without the details it's impossible to say, but potentially some might include...
Most likely, if the TOC is just going for a single offence at this point, but your solicitor knows there are more, they won't lie and say it's the only time you've done it! But could skillfully imply it.
Also (and very unlikely, but still an option), depending on the level of fare evasion, they may ask for other offences to be taken into account to try to get a lesser penalty.
If the TOC are going for one offence now, the solicitor may drop in the settlement letter that (cunningly disguised in legalise in the hope the TOC don't spot it) that it's a final settlement and the TOC can't come back for more offences for the same journey.
They may be able to get the TOC to accept payment from you on the condition that you admit no wrongdoing, thus making it harder (but not impossible) for them to come back for more offences later.
They may, in a very extreme case, just advise to hold your hands up!
Lots of options, but you're paying the solicitor, they're working for you, it's best to tell them everything they ask for.
 
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