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We are keen to provide open and transparent information in relation to the cost of our legal services provision. Our clerks are able to help you in assessing the appropriate counsel for your case and the likely cost, whether you are a professional or a direct access client. We work upon the information provided by our clients and provided the prospective case is within our areas of expertise – and there is sufficient information – we can give a quote for fees both verbally and in writing, usually via email.
Many criminal clients will be eligible for publicly funded representation through the legal aid scheme. These cases will require the client to instruct a solicitor who will consult with chambers to determine an appropriate barrister for the particular case.
Clients who do not qualify for public funding or who choose to pay privately may instruct counsel of their choice. They may discuss with us the most appropriate counsel for the case – either directly or via a solicitor. That discussion will include counsel’s current and future availability and the likely cost for their services.
We operate two main pricing methods for privately funded work at 2 Hare Court – fixed fee and hourly rates. Sometimes there is a need to use a combination of the two, for instance a trial preparation fee based on the rate per hour and fixed daily attendance fees. Full information will be given by our clerks when consulted and fees generated will be backed up with counsel’s written log of work done.
Factors that will be taken into account when assessing and proposing counsels’ fees include:
We are often asked to agree varied fee structures such as:
We are also amenable to considering differing payment terms, which can be discussed in detail with our clerking team at an early juncture.
Timescales for provision of our legal assistance can be affected by a number of different factors such as:
All barristers at 2 Hare Court, other than pupils, are registered for Value Added Tax and this will be added to their professional fees. They are also all regulated by the Bar Standards Board, covered by Bar Mutual Professional Indemnity Insurance and are registered with the Information Commissioner’s office.
Direct access clients will find more information on the services provided by chambers under this scheme in the dedicated section on our website here. The Bar Standards Board’s ‘Public Access Guidance for Lay Clients’ can be found here.
By way of general guidance counsel who receive instructions directly from a lay client in a summary only motoring offence, can provide advice and representation in the Magistrates’ Court.
These cases are typically in relation such offences as careless driving, driving whilst disqualified or without appropriate insurance, speeding, failing to stop etc. They usually take varying forms;
Cases can be adjourned for additional information or for evidence to be adduced, for pre-sentence or psychiatric reports or by other orders of the court.
You can ordinarily expect to receive any requested written advice within 2-3 weeks unless especially urgent. Our clerks will aim to ensure that the instructed barrister will be available to appear for you at court.
The fees you are likely to be charged are dictated by the particulars needs of you the client, and your case. The case maybe straightforward requiring junior counsel, or it may be of particular complexity necessitating the instruction of senior counsel, even up to the level of Queen’s Counsel.
It is likely that we would be able to charge you a fixed fee for this type of case, either for the whole case, or on an item by item basis, so that you would have a level of costs certainty at the outset.
A typical range of fees, to which 20% VAT must be added, would be:
(up to a maximum of 3 hours, £100 – £1,000 per hour thereafter)
This is a wide range of fees anticipating cases at both ends of the scale, but a more definitive guide will be offered to you on first contact with our clerks. There is however, no set upper or lower limit, each case would be assessed on its own merits. A formal contract between counsel and the client will be drawn up setting out the services to be provided, the fees for these services and payment terms.
In certain circumstances that may arise there may be additional work demanded of counsel which may result in extra costs to the client which you will be advised of at the first opportunity. These may include, but are not limited to: service of further evidence, changes in the client’s case, unforeseen lengthening of court proceedings.
Links to other useful information:
For more information please contact the clerks on +44 (0)20 7353 5324 or email clerks@2harecourt.com for help. We will guide you through our simple and transparent process and get the right representation for your matter.
