Frequently Asked Questions

Direct access enables you to work directly with a barrister rather than going to a solicitor first. See the barrister as a tool that parachutes into your case at a time that you need it.

With low overheads this benefit can be passed onto the client, they often charge less than solicitors. The fee will be agreed with you in advance of taking your case or advising you on your problem.

Most of my work is done on a fixed fee and you can set the budget and you will not be charged for each phone call, hourly rate or day rate with refresher.

Please note that the provision of any quote is not acceptance of instructions, an acceptance of instruction is upon signing the Direct Access Client Care Letter. Continuity of the barrister for the future is dependent upon the barrister availability, conflicts and other matters outside of counsel control.

Barristers specialize in a few areas of law that makes them experts in that area of practice from a theoretical and practical perspective having represented clients at court, they can give you some insight on considerations that may affect the outcome of your case. For instance in a family matter, the barrister will work directly with you and be able to give you advice, represent you at court and negotiate on your behalf, and assist you with drafting documents and correspondence. You remain technically a litigant in person and are responsible for the day to day progress of your case. Barristers know the courts and the courts know the barrister, they will present your case better than anyone else.

Compare CV and expertise and decide who will best look after YOUR interests

Give you written advice after reviewing your documents

Give you advice in conference, face- to face, on the phone or by skype

Represent you at court at a hearing or at a settlement conference or a mediation

Working directly with a barrister is appropriate when you can handle the administrative side of things yourself, it enables you to direct your finance resource at the court hearing, that you might otherwise conduct yourself, giving you a better chance of getting the outcome you desire.

Do I need a solicitor or a Direct Access Barrister?

Not all matters are appropriate for going straight to a barrister. If your case is complicated and involves collecting evidence from various witnesses, or taking opinions from a number of experts, it may be more sensible for you to instruct a solicitor to do this on your behalf. If you need someone to undertake all the administrative work for you then a solicitor may be more appropriate for you. Please see the note on legal aid to see if you may be eligible for legal aid for your matter.

See the link below to assess if you qualify for legal aid, you will be directed to the government website and will be asked some questions related to your legal problem and financial situation;

See this link to find out:

Legal aid calculator civil matters https://civil-eligibility-calculator.justice.gov.uk/

Legal aid calculator criminal matters https://www.gov.uk/guidance/criminal-legal-aid-means-testing

The date order earliest to the latest in A4 paper scanned:

• Applications to the court and orders made by the court
• Statements and other papers filed at court
• Correspondence with the other side, and
• Anything else relevant

Have a brief summary of your case, issues and questions you would like the barrister to advise on at the start of bundle, name the parties, the children involved and ages, the court case reference and court that the case is heard.

We cannot assist you in taking on legal aid cases and or to check your eligibility for legal aid.

All work under public access is done on a private basis.

The cost involved will depend on the complexity of your case, amount of work involved, type of hearing, amount of papers you have, as this affects the reading time and level of preparation that needs to be done before the hearing.

We strive to be open about costs, it impossible to give guidelines on costs for all types of hearings/ matters. You will be provided a quote which will either be on a fixed fee, hourly rate, day rate (brief fee/refresher basis) subject to what is most cost effective. Vat for Direct Public Access client will not be charged.

• Please complete the enquiry form below, including as much detail as possible.
• A member of the clerking team will contact you. If the information provided is sufficient for a barrister to agree to take on your case, an initial indication of the fee will be provided. If not, the clerk will contact you to obtain the relevant paperwork from you before providing an initial estimate of the fees subject to counsel availability and expertise.
• If your case is suitable for the instruction of counsel directly, a client care letter will be issued to you. This is a contract between yourself and the instructed barrister, which outlines the barrister’s role and limitations under the scheme, the scope of the instructions, the fees payable and any other conditions subject to which the work will be carried out.
• You will be asked to provide proof of identity and proof of address to comply with money laundering regulations. Copies will be taken and held on file.
• You must return a signed copy of the client care letter
• Once all of the documentation is in place, your papers and instructions have been received and the relevant fee paid (where payment in advance is required), the instructions have been accepted and the barrister can proceed with your case.