Honesty, integrity and objectivity: perspectives from junior practitioners
One of the guiding principles of the Resolution Code of Conduct requires members to: “Act with honesty, integrity and objectivity. Listen to and treat everyone with respect and without judgement.” For junior practitioners, these principles can appear simple in theory, although their application is often tested in day-to-day practice. It is often in the early years of practice, when balancing client expectations, professional duties, and personal development, that challenges to honesty, integrity, and objectivity most clearly arise.
With that in mind, this commentary is aimed at YRes members and the challenges they might find in their junior roles, and offers perspectives from a range of juniors at Family Law Partners.
Ellie Kimber, Paralegal
As a paralegal, you are often the first point of contact for clients who may be in a highly emotional and vulnerable state. Each interaction must be approached with empathy, sensitivity and professionalism while remaining grounded in the principles of honesty, integrity, and objectivity. It is important the client feels supported and heard, whilst also ensuring there is a clear understanding of the limits of your role. Although you can reassure the client that you are there to help them with procedural tasks such as collating documents and completing forms, you must steer clear of giving legal advice; instead, signpost them to the fee earner when such legal questions arise. Maintaining this boundary is key to managing client expectations and enables the client to feel supported while upholding professional standards.
Eden Palmer, Trainee Solicitor
As a trainee solicitor, I am learning how to balance honesty, integrity and objectivity in many aspects of my work. When drafting correspondence, I have learnt the importance of writing in a way that is both constructive and measured, even if the client desires a more combative tone. It is important to understand the emotional impact the process can have on a client, and to listen to them carefully, respectfully and without judgement. Whilst appreciating and understanding the clients’ feelings, these often need to be balanced when drafting correspondence to the other side. Maintaining a professional, measured approach helps to foster better professional relationships and progress matters in an amicable and constructive way, which ultimately leads to a swifter resolution for the client.
Similarly, when providing early advice under supervision, I have learnt that being transparent and objective is key. The advice must be reasoned and honest, even when this might not be the advice that the client was hoping for. It is important not to overstate the prospects of achieving the client’s desired outcome when the legal position suggests otherwise. Giving transparent advice from the outset ensures that clients can make informed decisions without unrealistic expectations. This approach also helps to build trusting relationships with clients, who appreciate the realistic and reliable advice.
Yasmin Jeffery, Trainee Solicitor
Client meetings are valuable learning opportunities for me as a trainee solicitor. When sitting in on new client meetings, I have learnt how important honesty and integrity are from the outset of matters. Through observing solicitors in these meetings, I have learnt the importance of managing client expectations early on, being truthful about the best way to approach a client’s case and showing empathy when engaging in difficult or emotional conversations. My learning from new client meetings has ensured that when I have my own conversations with clients, whether to summarise legal processes, provide updates on progress or explain documents, I am always truthful with clients, keep to my commitments, and act with consistency throughout.
Grace Savage, Solicitor
Stepping into practice as a newly qualified solicitor can feel like a sudden shift in responsibility. For the first time, you can now send out advice and correspondence under your own name, and the clients start to look to you as one of the professionals guiding them through an incredibly difficult stage of their life. That responsibility is both empowering and daunting, and it really brings Resolution’s values of honesty, integrity and objectivity into sharp focus.
One of the biggest adjustments that I have noticed from the move from trainee to NQ is the requirement to ensure you are actively managing client expectations. A client in crisis will often look to you for reassurance that their case will produce the outcome they hope for, and, with that, the temptation can be to offer comfort by painting an optimistic picture. However, it is our role to act with honesty and integrity, and that principle underpins the need to resist that pull. Even if those conversations can feel difficult at the time, we are required to be upfront about the limits of the law, the risks of certain approaches, and the realistic timescale and/or costs involved.
There is also the challenge of objectivity. When you have built a rapport with a client, it can be difficult not to get caught up in their story and start to see things entirely from their perspective. As an NQ, you are still finding your feet and it can be daunting to test your client’s position or hold the line; for example, you might be put in a position to tell a client that the other party’s offer is actually reasonable, or that pursuing a point further is unlikely to move matters further forwards. Those conversations can feel uncomfortable, but they are precisely where objectivity matters most. The most valuable advice is often guided by impartial judgement.
Practical tips for junior practitioners
Pause before promising an outcome: check whether the advice is realistic, and if in doubt, frame it as a range of possibilities.
Sense-check correspondence: read every letter or email as though the court might see it; is the tone professional, measured, and respectful?
Step back from client emotion: before drafting advice, ask yourself whether you are reflecting the client’s wishes or the likely legal reality.
Be transparent in negotiations: never misrepresent facts or evidence, even under client pressure.
Actively listen: give clients space to talk without interruption; summarise back what they have said to show understanding.
Seek supervision: if you feel your integrity or objectivity is being tested, discuss it with a more experienced colleague rather than navigating the dilemma alone.
Conclusion
For junior lawyers, the principle of acting with honesty, integrity and objectivity can help give us a compass when things become difficult. By holding fast to these standards, junior lawyers not only protect their own professional reputations but also contribute to the culture of fairness and trust that is at the heart of Resolution’s ethos.