Solicitor’s Regulation Authority – Transparency in price and service

The aim of the SRA Transparency Rules is to make sure consumers have the information they need to make an informed choice of legal services provider, including understanding what the costs may be.

The rules require all regulated law firms, who publish as part of their usual business that they offer certain services, to publish information on the prices they charge. These services are:

For members of the public

  • Residential conveyancing (Freehold sale or purchase, leasehold sale or purchase, mortgages and re-mortgages)
  • Probate (uncontested cases with all assets in the UK)
  • Motoring offences (summary only offences)
  • Employment tribunals (claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal)
  • Immigration (excluding asylum applications)

For businesses

  • Debt recovery (up to £100,000)
  • Employment tribunals (defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal)
  • Licensing applications for business premises (new applications or varying existing licenses)

Employment Tribunal claims: Range of costs

  • Our pricing for bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal
  • Simple case: £5000 – £10,000 (excluding VAT)
  • Medium complexity case: £10,000 – £20,000 (excluding VAT)
  • High complexity case: £20,000 – £40,000 (excluding VAT)
  • If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim
  • Defending claims that are brought by litigants in person
  • Making or defending a costs application
  • Complex preliminary issues such as whether the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties)
  • The number of witnesses and documents
  • If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. if you are dismissed after blowing the whistle on your employer
  • Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Counsel’s fees estimated between £1500 to £3000 per day (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation)

Key stages

The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim:

  • Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on merits and likely compensation (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change)
  • Entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached;
  • Preparing claim or response
  • Reviewing and advising on claim or response from other party
  • Exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process
  • preparing or considering a schedule of loss
  • Preparing for (and attending) a Preliminary Hearing
  • Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents
  • Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses
  • preparing bundle of documents
  • Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements
  • agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list
  • Preparation and attendance at Final Hearing, including instructions to Counsel

The stages set out above are an indication and if some of stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.

How long will my matter take?

The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take 6 – 12 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 30 – 40 weeks. This is just an estimate and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.

How will deal with my matter?

We have 3 members of the team who may work on your matter (together with support staff who carry out administrative roles).

The Head of Department is Lachlan Palmer who will supervise the other team members.

Name Lachlan Palmer
Position Director
Hourly Rate £300 +VAT
Qualified 1994
Name Stephen Ellis-Jones
Position Consultant (Barrister)
Hourly Rate £300 +VAT
Qualified 1992
Name Simon Terry
Position Solicitor
Hourly Rate £320 +VAT
Qualified 1998

Fixed fees for a business to business debt that is undisputed

These costs apply where your claim is in relation to an unpaid invoice in excess of £750 which is not disputed. If the other party disputes your claim at any point, we will discuss any further work required and provide you with revised advice about costs if necessary, which could be on a fixed fee (e.g. if a one off letter is required), or an hourly rate if more extensive work is needed.

Statutory Demands

Debt Value Court Fees Disbursements (ex. VAT) Our Fee (ex. VAT) Total (ex. VAT)
£750 – £100,000 £n/a £100 £500 £600

Anyone wishing to proceed with a claim should note that:

  • The VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from your debtor (if you are registered for VAT purposes).

Our fee includes:

  • Taking your instructions and reviewing documentation
  • Undertaking appropriate searches
  • Sending a letter before action where appropriate
  • If the debt is not paid, drafting and serving a statutory demand
  • Receiving payment and sending onto you

Matters usually take around 4 weeks from receipt of instructions from you to receipt of payment from the other side. This is on the basis that the other side pays promptly on receipt of the Statutory Demand.

Winding Up Petition

Debt Value Court Fees Disbursements (ex.VAT) Our Fees (ex VAT) Total (ex. VAT)
£750 – £100,000 £280 £1942 £1500 £3722

Anyone wishing to proceed with a claim should note that:

  • The VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from your debtor (if you are registered for VAT purposes).

Our fee includes:

  • Taking your instructions and reviewing documentation
  • Undertaking appropriate searches
  • Drafting and issuing a winding up petition
  • Completing and filing court documents for the petition hearing
  • Arranging for representation at the petition hearing (where appropriate)
  • Receiving any payment and sending onto you

Matters usually take around 12 weeks from receipt of instructions from you to receipt of payment from the other side, depending on whether or not the petition is opposed.

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees, the official receiver’s deposit, barristers fee etc. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

The Official Receiver’s Deposit (currently £1600) is returnable in the event that no winding up order is made.