Administration

Our policy is one of gradual expansion and we are very keen to ensure that the service we offer, whether by a practising member of chambers or by a member of the administrative staff, is of the highest quality. If you should have any concerns about any administrative or other matters in Chambers, please raise them with Spencer Payne, our Senior Clerk. Spencer joined Chambers in January 2008. He brings with him a wealth of wit, wisdom and experience

We pride ourselves on our ability to assess a client's legal needs; we asppreciate and understand the pressures of the modern day legal environment and we work with clients to provide the most suitable expert for the issues in hand. We also recognise the absolute importance of client confidentiality.

Fees

Members of Chambers undertake work that is funded from a variety of sources, Legal Services Commission funded, Privately funded and on a Conditional Fee basis. Please contact us to discuss the tailoring of our fees system for your individual needs.

Legal Services Commission funding

In criminal work, all Crown Court work gives rise to LSC funding. For Civil cases, generally, LSC funding is only granted where there are good prospects of success and the litigation is cost effective. LSC funding is usually not granted in personal injury claims. Lay clients should speak to their solicitor to advise them on LSC funding.

The level of fees will be determined by the appropriate graduated fee arrangement in force (criminal & family work) or agreed between the clerks and the professional client before the appearance in court, or in the case of written work, once the work is undertaken, subject to any estimates or agreements beforehand.

Privately funded

This includes privately paying individuals, corporate bodies and clients who are backed by Legal Expenses insurance or other funding arrangement, such as union backing.

Estimates of hourly rates can be given by the clerks and of likely fees, normally once the papers have been received and there has been an opportunity to review them. Emergency applications can be structured quickly for the purpose of summary costs schedules.

Though long-term forecasts of costs maybe impossible, a clearly identified basis for charging followed by progressively amended estimates as time passes can be provided in heavier work upon request.

Brief fees are based upon preparation time, conferences, days in court, the involvement of other Counsel, the nature / seriousness of the work, the amount at issue and so on, and this calculation will then be influenced by the market rate, and by the basis of funding such as public funding standard rates.

Conditional Fee Arrangements

A variety of work is undertaken on a Conditional Fee Basis (CFA), the majority of which are personal injury claims. However, in appropriate cases, CFAs can be agreed in all cases permitted under current legislation. The most commonly used CFA agreement is APIL / PIBA 5. Fees are the same as would be agreed in privately paying work except that the fee is not paid until the conclusion of the case and upon success. The fees will also be subject to an uplift to take account of the prospects of success, pre-CFA work and delay in the receipt of payment.