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When Should a Solicitor Instruct an Investigator?

Situations where investigation or intelligence support may help solicitors assess parties, assets, background and pre-action options.

Situations where investigation or intelligence support may help solicitors assess parties, assets, background and pre-action options.

Before proceedings

Pre-action intelligence can help assess parties, connected entities, commercial context, asset indicators and the proportionality of litigation.

During a dispute

Research may support chronology development, witness or background context, company mapping, location questions and claim testing.

Enforcement and recovery

Asset and entity research can help decide whether further legal recovery steps appear proportionate.

Professional boundaries

Investigation supports legal strategy but does not replace legal advice or the solicitor’s evidential and disclosure obligations.

This article is general information. It is not legal, financial, regulatory or other professional advice, and a warning sign is not proof of wrongdoing.

Continue with the full analysis

The related long-form article develops this subject with current sources, practical examples and a fuller decision framework.

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