Quotations
Chambers will provide a ‘no obligation’ quotation for any piece of work.
This covers :
1) Professional clients such as solicitors and local authorities
2) Licensed access clients such as Planning Consultants
3) Lay clients
Quotations will be provided in a reasonable time, and in not less than twenty four hours, as long as the work falls within Chambers’ practice areas.
We do not charge for providing quotations on any cases. Useful information that would help us in the provision of a quotation includes :
1) The nature of the case
2) A time estimate of any hearings
3) An outline of paperwork you would like drafted
4) The volume of papers to be considered
5) Whether a conference is required
Occasionally Counsel may need to review papers to provide a more accurate quotation. We do not charge for this.
All enquiries should be sent to clerks@12cp.co.uk
We will endeavor provide a range of options. This depends on the timescales involved and the availability in the diary of appropriate Counsel.
Please note all Counsel are subject to the Cab-rank rules when accepting work.
If, for any reason, we are unable to help you our Clerks would be happy to recommend alternative Counsel for you to approach.
Pricing Models
There are three basic pricing systems that we use in agreeing fees.
1) Fixed Fees
Wherever possible we will agree a fixed fee for any work so that clients can have certainty on the issues of costs.
This would cover :
a) Case Paperwork
b) Conferences
c) Brief Fee (covering all case preparation and first day at court)
d) Refreshers (all days case is listed following first day)
Chambers will only consider a brief to be delivered 48 hours before a hearing is due to take place.
Any case that settles prior to then we will charge an agreed fee for the work Counsel has undertaken. This will be in consultation with the instructing client.
2) Hourly Rate
With many clients, most obviously local authorities, all work is charged at any agreed hourly rate for all work undertaken.
When billing these cases an account of hours taken will be recorded on each fee note or invoice that is submitted for payment.
All clients can request a capped fee on hourly rate work which would be not be exceeded even if the work took longer than was anticipated and we recommend this to all clients as a way of avoiding open ended billing.
There hourly rates we charge vary from £350 for Silks to £85 for the most junior practitioners or Pupils.
3) Direct Access Work
Each and every piece of Direct Access work will be a Fixed Fee and the client has signed a Client Care letter to agree.
They will not be charged anything not agreed in these letters under ANY circumstances.
4) CFA Work
A limited number of Barristers in Chambers accept instructions, in certain circumstances, under Conditional Fee Agreements (no win, no fee).
For more information please contact our clerks@12cp.co.uk
Service Provision
Counsel provide Advocacy services, advisory drafting and training services in the six key areas of Chambers business which are outlined clearly on this website.
Each Barristers’ profile lists the areas where they predominantly practice. These are listed in order with their main practice area listed first.
Examples for their most recent work are on the majority of profiles so you can just the relative level of their experience against others in the Team.
Timescales
Several factors will influence the timescales in which Barristers can consider and deal with work.
These include :
- the availability of clients or interested third parties
- the complexity of the case
- the amount of paper they need to review to be properly prepared
- relevant experience and necessary expertise
- familiarity with people in the case resulting in a conflict of interest
- necessity for additional information or documents to be provided
- the approach taken by the other side
- intervention of Third Parties
- Court waiting times