44.— The Solicitors (Amendment) Act 1994 is amended by inserting the following after section 26:

“Limitation of solicitors’, etc. liability by contract.

26A.— (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), a contract between a solicitor and a client of the solicitor that any description of civil liability incurred—

(a) by the solicitor arising from his or her practice as a solicitor in respect of the provision of legal services to the client be limited to an amount specified or referred to in the contract, or

(b) by a partner, clerk or servant or former partner, clerk or servant of the solicitor arising from that solicitor’s practice as a solicitor in respect of the provision of legal services to the client be limited to an amount specified or referred to in the contract,

shall be binding on and enforceable by—

(i) if paragraph (a) is applicable, the solicitor and the client, and

(ii) if paragraph (b) is applicable, the partner, clerk or servant or former partner, clerk or servant of the solicitor and the client.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) shall affect the operation of—

(a) section 40 (as amended by section 31 of the Restrictive Practices (Amendment) Act 1987) of the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980, or

(b) Regulation 6 of the European Communities (Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts) Regulations 1995 (S.I. No. 27 of 1995).

(3) The amount referred to in subsection (1) in respect of a description of civil liability the subject of the contract concerned shall be not less than the minimum level of cover, as specified from time to time in regulations under paragraph (b) of section 26(4), for indemnity against losses arising from those classes of claims which fall within that description of civil liability and, accordingly, any such amount which is less than such minimum level of cover shall, by virtue of this subsection, be deemed to be increased to such minimum level of cover, and such contract shall be binding and enforceable accordingly.

(4) Section 7 of the Attorneys and Solicitors Act 1870 is repealed on the commencement of section 44 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008.”.