When Central Office has a client with requirements that match your expertise, a member of the Community Team will contact you to offer you conduct of the matter. This may involve new instructions from an existing client or the opportunity to begin a new client relationship.
If the opportunity looks promising and you wish to pursue it, then, before commencing work, you should provide a clear and realistic costs estimate to the client, decide whether Costs on Account will be required, and send out an Engagement Letter. Costs on Account are always recommended for Central Office clients.
If the opportunity looks promising for the firm, but where you personally do not wish to take it on, then you should either refer it to an appropriate colleague (copying in the Community Team) or return it to the team for reallocation. Promising opportunities should be dealt with without delay. On occasion, it might be necessary to reallocate work referred to you if you do not respond within a reasonable period, noting that the timeframe may be shorter depending on the nature of the instruction.
If the opportunity does not look promising for the firm, please let the client know that we cannot assist, blind copying the relevant member of the Community Team) You may wish to suggest that the client contact the Law Society for assistance in finding alternative legal representation.