Supporting Vulnerable Clients

Vulnerability generally describes someone who, because of their circumstances, may be at an increased risk of harm. There are many reasons a client may find they are more vulnerable, for example due to a disability, illness, age, or their circumstances, including social isolation, poor education, or experiencing bereavement. Legal professionals, such as solicitors must consider their clients attributes and needs when providing advice.

This session will be looking at the obvious and less obvious forms of vulnerability and identifying lessons learnt from case law around wills, LPAs and gifts where advisers have failed to recognise and adapt their approach.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand what is meant by vulnerable
• Identify vulnerabilities, including literacy difficulties
• Understand why we need to be concerned
• Making reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010
• Improve your approach to capacity when a client may have difficulties
• Recognise what may be undue influence
• Empowering clients to make decisions
• Improving your support material including writing Easy Read material
• Managing potential risk to the client and to staff from home visits