No response from other party's solicitor

[nomoretether]

Is there anything we can do to get a response from the other party's solicitor?

An email was sent requesting clarification on one issue last Wednesday. Another email was sent requesting clarification on a second issue on Friday, and included a reminder for a response to the first issue.

A reminder was sent for both issues on Tuesday.

Neither is complicated (1. Have you submitted application to court and if not, when will you and 2. Why have you sent these forms to me when you need to submit them) so that won't be the reason for lack of response.

The solicitor did make contact about a third issue on Thursday and Friday of last week. Issue 2 could possibly cause a delay to issue 1 and we are desperate for this to be over!

I'd ask your solicitor if there's any particular reason he/she isn't picking up the phone. This is obviously increasing your costs.

Having said that, when I was in practice I was considered weird as I always cleared my desk every day. Some lawyers just aren't that fast at responding, especially if they're out of the office a lot in court. I'd suggest your solicitor tries calling the other one and if they're not around ask their secretary to check the file and let your sol know what's happening.

We're LIP, so no solicitor. Will tell OH to try calling, thanks mumblechum.

Still no response. Assistant won't tell us anything and solicitor is constantly "out of the office" despite being told 3 times on Friday that they would call us back. Out of the office again today (reception said til lunch, assistant said all day).

Is there nothing we can do?

Would it do any good writing direct to the other party, telling them that you're doing it because you weren't sure whether they were still instructing their solicitor as he isn't responding?

Failing that, can you move matters on by submitting things to the court yourself?