How to locate a forgotten family solicitor

[TamzinGrey]

My elderly aunt has dementia and has forgotten the name and location of her solicitor. This is causing her a great deal of distress, as she believes that she has important documents lodged with them. I know that before she became ill she often visited a local solicitor, but I have no idea which one.

Is there any way of finding out who her solicitor is ? I would like them to know about her condition, and it would really put her mind at rest if they made contact with her.

Yellow pages or the law society find a solicitor site - then start writing to them all. Start with the nearest, and work your way out from there until you strike gold.

I'd be happy to do that Collaborate, but would a solicitor be willing to tell me that my aunt was their client ? I've been assuming that they'd be bound by confidentiality rules. Maybe I've been overthinking this.

Would she allow you to look through her paperwork/address book? I'd be surprised if she didn't have something somewhere.

Can you see payments in her bank accounts?

You may need to get power of attorney first for your Aunt? I suggest you speak to your own solicitor for advice.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. The situation is complicated by the fact that I live over 200 miles from my aunt. She has no nearby relatives, and her next of kin (sister) lives in Australia. I'm planning to visit next month so I'm going to have a chat with her then, and see whether she would be happy to let me look through her paperwork with her. Meanwhile I think that I'll mention the situation to her social worker, as it's clearly making her anxious.