Fees
Our Family Law team charge on the basis of the amount of time spent in dealing with a client's case. Accurately predicting at the outset of the case how much time the Solicitor will spend dealing with it, is an imprecise science. We do provide all our clients with regular updates informing them of the level of costs that have been incurred on their case.
Fixed Quotes and Payment Options
For some straightforward cases, we can offer a fixed quote based on the circumstances of the case as they appear to us, at the time the quote is given. Details of where fixed quotes may be available are given on the specialist pages of our site. Please contact Elizabeth Hodder or Julie McDonald to ascertain whether or not a fixed quote is appropriate in your circumstances.
We recognise that clients going through a divorce, separation or relationship breakdown are already experiencing financial strains. We have a number of ways to address the question of payment of legal fees as a case is ongoing, and Elizabeth Hodder or Julie McDonald will discuss the various options available with you, at your initial interview.
We no longer offer Legal Aid.
Tips for Reducing Costs
1. Agree a Policy for Correspondence
We do not send unnecessary correspondence e.g. simply acknowledging receipt of a letter, as this drives up our client's costs unnecessarily.
If you would like to see all correspondence we receive and drafts of all proposed responses, please tell us at the outset of your case. Please also let us know whether you would prefer to receive correspondence by post, as wherever possible, our correspondence is sent routinely by email, assuming our client has a secure e-mail address. This ensures that the case is not hampered by postal delays and enables us to take same day action on all of our cases, where possible.
2. Do Not Use More Than One Form of Communication to Say the Same Thing
Avoid sending an email or fax and then telephoning to check that it has been received to ask for a response, as this will increase your costs unnecessarily.
3. Agree a Policy for How Often you Would Like to Receive Updates
We keep all our clients informed of important developments on their case. However, if you have particular requirements, for example you wish to be updated daily, weekly or monthly, whether there are developments to report or not, we are happy to do this. However, this will of course increase your costs.
4. Keep All Correspondence you receive from us
Keep all correspondence and documentation we send to you. You may need to refer to it again, and it will save us sending you copies, which will increase your costs.
5. Do Not Allow Emotions to get in the way
Avoid using your Solicitor as a counsellor. If you need emotional support, we can recommend relationship counsellors, who are trained to help people through the emotional trauma of divorce. The hourly rate of a divorce counsellor is likely to be much less than that of a Solicitor.
6. Give Clear Instructions
Provide clear instructions to the person dealing with your case. Avoid moving the goal posts, as this will result in unnecessary work, time delays and costs.
7. Telephoning the Secretary and Not the Solicitor
A secretary cannot advise you. A secretary will take a message for the Solicitor who will then have to spend time answering a question. If you have a question about the next step in your case or you seek advice upon a step that has already been taken, please telephone the solicitor dealing with your case. However, if you wish to know the up-to-date position in your case, the Solicitor's secretary can tell you this at the touch of a button as all of our cases are held electronically and an update can be provided instantly.
8. Be Realistic About Timescales
Divorce proceedings take a minimum of 4 months to conclude. Timescales are not under our control, and are dictated by Court rules. Financial matters arising out of divorce can take up to 18 months to conclude. Much depends on how quickly the parties can provide full and frank disclosure of their finances, and how quickly a settlement can be negotiated. Pension valuations, in particular, can take 3 months to arrive. We cannot shorten the timescales, and chasing to get cases to move more quickly than is feasible, will simply increase costs unnecessarily.
9. Don't Expect Others to Work as Fast as We Do!
We turn correspondence around on a same day basis, in the vast majority of cases. We respond to telephone calls on the same day the call is received. Most e-mails are answered on a same day basis. We cannot control how fast others respond to our correspondence or telephone messages however. Be assured we will keep you up-to-date on all significant developments and if you can avoid chasing for regular updates, this will keep your fees under control.