What is the effect of a solicitor’s bill on the assessment of a client's solicitor's bill?

The client in that case was an individual involved in high-stakes matrimonial litigation, but he was not particularly sophisticated. Thus, part of Stewart J.'s conclusion rests on being mindful that public confidence in the administration of justice requires the court to intervene where necessary to protect clients’ rights to fair procedures for the assessment of a solicitor’s bill. This comes back to the principle expressed in Price v. Sonsini, that as a general matter, if the client objects to the solicitors account, the solicitor should facilitate the assessment process rather than frustrating it.