The fees payable to counsel are valued in different ways, it is essential to determine the formula adapted from the first appointment in full transparency, which will be resumed in a fee agreement that will be submitted to the signature of the customer.
In principle, the fees are set free and in agreement with the customer, by exception, they are subordinated to the granting of legal aid or the scale of legal protection insurance.
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Fees
Article 10 of the law of 31 December 1971 provides as consulting fees, support, Council, drafting of legal acts under a document private, moot is fixed freely, in agreement with the client.
Also several criteria establishing the fee set by law: the time spent on the case, the nature and the difficulty of the case, the situation of the customer, the work of research, the importance of the interests involved, the benefits and the results obtained by the solicitor for the benefit of the customer.
Application of these principles, the fees can be set in 2 ways:
Time spent: this formula applies mainly to records for which it is difficult or impossible to identify the scope of the mission and the time that will be devoted on the first date. Notes fees are sent to the customer as the work is carriages at each stage of the procedure.
Master Nathalie Smiths hourly rate is £220, £264.
Master Philip Poole hourly rate is £250, £300.
According to a package: an overall and fixed rate is set on the first date. This rate applies to the business for which the work is easily ascertainable in advance (for example lease termination/expulsion, some divorces, revision of alimony,…) Based on the fortune of the customer, it is still possible to agree upon a reasonable payment timing.
Also the fee at the time or package, the fee agreement may provide a fee result (percentage of the amounts earned by the customer in a proceeding or transaction). This fee is payable at the end of operations on the prices paid by the opponent. For example, this formula is particularly used in family law, to a spouse who is entitled to an award of a compensatory allowance or as part of the compensation of a victim of a traffic accident.
Whatever the option is chosen, costs and expenses are the responsibility of the customer, master Nathalie Smiths, and master Philip Poole do not advance, it’s bailiff fees, expertise, travel etc.
Any consultation which does not result in opening a file is paid, the fee is £185, £222.
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Legal aid
Unlike some idea received, there is no free solicitor!
When the solicitor is not set by the customer himself, it can be either by insurance or by the State, as part of legal aid.
All solicitors do not accept to be paid in respect of legal aid, mainly because the amounts collected as such barely cover the costs of the solicitor and cannot be considered a real compensation of work provided.
Mr Nathalie Smiths chose to agree to help the litigants the poorest and take records of legal aid in family or lease law but reserves the right to refuse to intervene in this framework in very complex cases.
Applications for legal aid can be withdrawn either:
Master Nathalie Smith’s office.
With the House of solicitor 51 Street Green – 13006 UK,
The Court of First Instance London – Place Greens- 13006 UK.
Files can also be downloaded at the following link: Public Service.
Customers must complete records and provide all the supporting documents requested in photocopying; Master Nathalie Smiths takes care of file complete applications to the Court.
Legal aid is granted either totally, partially, depending on the income of the defendant, whose ceiling is fixed each year by Decree.
For example, to take advantage of the help legal total in 2017, a single person without children must have resources less than £1,000 per month; a patch of £167 is applied for each person dependent.
In case of an award of their legal partial, additional fees is paid by the customer to Master Nathalie Smiths according to a fee agreement.
Mr Philip Poole is not involved in legal aid.
In case of return to better fortune (the client wins his lawsuit and gets a sum of money which would have prevented him to obtain legal aid), master Nathalie Smiths may choose to refuse the benefit of legal assistance and be resolved Conventionally; a fee agreement is then subject to the signature of the client.
Since January 1, 2011, the State has chosen to no more extended support pleading rights which are due for each hearing, amounting to £13, as part of legal aid.
This single sum remains the responsibility of the customer, even if total aid awarded.
Legal protection insurance for Will Writing
Legal protection insurance is usually in all home insurance policies.
The customer must check that its insurance contract that covers legal protection and such a clause.
In general, legal protection insurance does not support the solicitor’s fees in their entirety; a supplement remains the responsibility of the customer.
Legal protection insurance does not work for all subjects of the law.
For example, few insurance companies guarantee the assistance of defendants in criminal cases.
The principle, unlike a particular belief, is that the customer can freely choose his solicitor, although a portion of its fees is set by the insurance company.
No solicitor can, therefore, be imposed by an insurance company to its insured.
The regulation of fees is based on two processes according to insurance companies:
Either the client pays the amount of the fees requested by the solicitor and is reimbursed by insurance according to the schedules established under legal protection.
Either the insurance company pays directly to the solicitor the amount stopped by the scale, and the client undertakes only the add-in remains his responsibility.