SCHEDULE OF FEES AND CHARGING POLICY
All fees charged are competitive, transparent and reasonable. We have various fee packages to suit your needs. All fees will be agreed from the outset, so you will be made fully aware of your costs from day one.
We usually work on a Fixed Fee basis or Hourly Rate Basis.
The following rates are intended to provide some general guidance to our standard fees on privately funded cases.
All fees quoted are exclusive of VAT which, when applicable, will need to be added.
It should be noted that all brief & instruction fees are considered individually. It is not possible to give an exhaustive list of factors that might affect the charge for a given case. In particular the guide figures may be inappropriate to cases in which a barrister is instructed on the basis of a specific expertise or speciality or where work requires urgent attention. It may also be necessary to take into account practical considerations, such as travelling time and expense. On occasions, the fee may be agreed that varies according to the time actually taken in dealing with a matter.
Conditional Fees
We also undertake work on a conditional fee basis in appropriate cases. Please contact the clerks for further details.
Public funding
We are happy to accept instructions on legally aided cases. Please contact us with your queries.
ESTIMATED COSTS FOR THE INSTRUCTIONS OF A BARRISTER
All our barristers are regulated by the Bar Standards Board.
Our barristers accept instructions directly from the members of the public through the Public Access Scheme. However, it should be noted that all cases are not suitable for the instruction of counsel by this method, an example would be if you are eligible for legal aid. Also a barrister would not able to accept instructions directly from the public on a Conditional Fee Basis.
Our aim is to provide the right barrister for your case together with a cost that will be based on the area of law, the type and complexity, their seniority and experience. The initial instructions of barrister can be made by having an initial conference or alternatively by providing a chronology and copies of essential documents for them to assess the suitability of your case for Public Access.
Fees are based on an hourly rate that will be commensurate with the seniority of counsel and the complexity of the case. Hourly rates will vary in accordance with the seniority of counsel or if you are instructing Queen’s Counsel. Where possible we will provide a fixed fee for the work.
Without sight of all of the relevant documents to a case it is sometimes difficult to provide an exact figure on the cost for specific items of work. However, as a guide for Public Access cases the following may provide some assistance (All fees are exclusive of VAT and therefore if eligible will need to be added):
| Immigration | |
| Initial conference | £250.00 – £1,000.00 |
| Written Advice on Appeal | £350.00 – £1,000.00 |
| Preparation of Application, Appeal, bundles and assistance with completion of forms | £350.00 – £2,000.00 |
| Case Management Hearings & Applications for Bail at London Tribunals. Fees for other Tribunals outside of London will need to take into consideration distance, travel time and costs. | £350.00 – £750.00 |
| Tribunal Hearing First and Upper Tier | £500.00 – £2,000.00 |
| Leave for Judicial Review and Full Hearing in the Administrative Court | £750.00 – £10,000.00 |
| Civil Proceedings (this will include, amongst other areas, Trust of Land, Housing, Commercial Disputes and Probate) | |
| Initial conference | £250.00 – £1,500.00 |
| Written advice on merits | £750.00 – £2,500.00 |
| Drafting (Pleadings, letters etc.) | £750.00 – £2,500.00 |
| Small Claims | £750.00 – £2,000.00 |
| Trial (subject to size, complexity of claim and length of trial) | £1,000.00 – £10,000.00 |
| Refresher (subsequent days to the first day of trial) | £750.00 – £2,500.00 |
| Family | |
| Initial conference | £250.00 – £1,500.00 |
| Written advice | £500.00 – £2,500.00 |
| First Directions Appointment | £1,250.00 – £3,500.00 |
| Financial Dispute Resolution | £1,750.00 – £10,000.00 |
| Final Hearing | £2,500.00 – £15,000.00 |
| Refreshers (subsequent days to the first day of trial) | £1,750.00 – £3,500.00 |
HOURLY RATES
These will be based on the seniority of counsel and the type and complexity of the proceedings and range from £175.00 to £500.00 an hour.
You can choose between a fixed fee for a particular task or an hourly rate with an estimate timescale given. There will be a written agreement to this effect so that you are fully aware of what work will be done, the estimated time frame for such work to be undertaken and how much it will cost.
The fees incurred will primarily be based on:
- a) Seniority/expertise of the fee earner instructed
- b) Complexity of the case
- c) Preparation time
- d) Length of Court hearing
No Win No Fee – Conditional Fee Arrangement (‘CFA’)
CFAs offer an alternative way to fund civil claims and litigation. A CFA is when we (the firm and you the client) reach an agreement to share the risk of the litigation by coming to a financial arrangement whereby our fees will be payable by you in the event your case is won.
If your case is not won or the agreed result is not achieved (i.e. the agreed level of damages is not awarded) a reduced fee will be payable by you in accordance with the terms of the CFA.
Irrespective of the outcome of your case, our fees will be clearly explained to you and we would only work on a CFA basis if you agree and are happy to do so.
Irrespective of our set fees, in exceptional circumstances, we also offer reduction in our fees based on the assessment of certain individual cases.
Pro Bono
We also offer our services Pro Bono basis if the client has real difficulties in his financial ability.
Contact Us
Further information is available by contacting one of the clerks on 02072478458 or alternatively by email at : info@westminsterchambers.co.uk
All estimates of the fees above are correct as of 1 January 2020.