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No.18 Chambers - Fee Structures & Costs

No 18 recognises the need to be fair, flexible, transparent and competitive and we strive to offer premium legal services at competitive prices. Our clerks are always ready to discuss fee structures to meet the client’s budget. Fees are calculated on an individual case basis, taking into account the seniority and experience of the barrister, complexity of the case and the length of time involved in preparation and attending court.

Following the Jackson Reforms, the legal aid cuts and the introduction of issue fees in the Employment Tribunal many clients may be left without legal representation. As part of our commitment to you and your clients, No.18 Chambers have put together fee structures and payment options for every eventuality, whether you act for a company or a client with a lower income.

No.18 Chambers recognise how specialist advice and advocacy are essential in circumstances that can often be unnerving and time consuming for the client. We as a Chambers are committed to working with you , the client and the firm as part of your team to provide a package of high quality legal advice, professional advisory services and first-rate advocacy.

Whether it’s a Family, Employment, Chancery & Commercial, Immigration, Property , Personal Injury or Clinical Negligence case chambers can offer a fee package to meet both your and the clients budget, and we are more than happy to try and tailor our fees to fit. Chambers are able to offer fixed fee’s with no surprise’s or hidden extra cost giving your client certainty.

Members undertake work under a variety of conditional fee agreements (CFAs) and in appropriate cases offer 0% success fee. Not all cases are appropriate for CFAs and the barrister concerned may decline to enter into a CFA after considering the merits of the claim/prospects of success. Chambers has a flexible policy on CFAs and will do our best to tailor the agreement to the needs of the case. Our standard arrangements are based on the latest models provided by the Bar Standards Board and specialist bar associations.

Your Fees Structures:

Fair on Fee’s: Fees Tailored for you and your client:

We as a chambers can offer various fee packages to meet both yours and the clients budget, and we are more than happy to try and tailor our fees to fit. We aim to remain open, transparent flexible and most importantly approachable. Fee’s are calculated on an individual case basis, taking into account the seniority and experience of the barrister, complexity of the case, any relevant value and the length of time involved in preparation and attending court. Where possible a fixed price for litigation, advisory work and/or drafting can be agreed in advance, providing certainty and assisting the client to budget.

Private Fee Hourly Rates

Fees are calculated on an individual case basis, taking into account the seniority and experience of the barrister, complexity and any relevant value.

Fixed Fees:

In many cases we are happy to agree a fixed fee for an individual items of work providing certainty to the lay client.

Maximum Fees:

In many cases we are happy to agree a maximum for an individual items of work i.e. : to ‘cap’ the fee agreed to a ‘maximum fee’ so the client is 100 % of his liability in relation to fee’s.

Package Deals:

We are able to offer fee packages in relation to written advisory work, drafting, conferences and representation (for example, a global fee for both a conference and hearing or drafting and a hearing).

Meet the Insurance:

Where the matter is insurance backed, we will do our utmost to work within the rates agreed with each insurance company. Where there are agreed rates (either hourly or fixed) between another Chambers and that insurance firm, we will also do our best to match those fees

Armed & Police Forces Discount:

We are delighted to offer reduced fees ((for matters that are paid privately ) for members of the Armed & Police Forces and their dependants, please contact us for more information on our 10% discount for Armed Forces personnel and their dependants

Low Income ‘ tailored fee’:

We recognise the economic pressures on some clients that would require flexibility on fees in order to ensure that they can secure access to high quality legal representation. We can therefore in most instances provide tailored fees for clients on low income or who would previously have been eligible for legal aid.

Conditional Fee agreement: (0% Success Guaranteed)

No Win Low Fee Agreements:

Where a case is not suitable to take under a traditional CFA, No.18 Strives to offer a feasible alternative in order to make Litigation available to those who would otherwise not be able afford it. Individually calculated on a case to case basis Members undertake work in appropriate cases offering No Win, Low Fee. Not all cases are appropriate for No Win Low Fee Agreements and the barrister concerned may decline to enter into a CFA after considering the merits of the claim/prospects of success. Chambers has a flexible policy on CFAs and will do our best to tailor the agreement to the needs of the case. Our standard arrangements are based on the latest models provided by the Bar Standards Board and specialist bar associations.

Damage Based Agreements:

At No.18 we recognise that, following the introduction of issue fees in employment cases, new methods of funding need to be found in order to bring claims. No.18 are delighted to offer damaged based agreements as a solution. We are committed to assess cases as to whether Damages Based Agreements are an appropriate recourse of funding for a particular lay client in order to allow them to purse their claim

Legal Aid:

Chambers continues to be committed to undertaking legally aided work and providing the best quality representation to all those who require it.

Terms and Conditions:

As of 31st January 2013, due to changes in the Bar Code of Conduct and the introduction of the Standard Conditions of Contract for the Supply of Legal Services by Barristers to Authorised Persons 2012, all members of Chambers are willing to accept instructions on ;

The Bar Council Standard Contractual Terms
COMBAR basis A

Unless any preference is expressed at the time of booking, the booking will be accepted subject to Chambers’ Standard Contractual Terms.

Members of Chambers are willing to consider alternative terms on a case-by-case basis, for further information, please contact the Clerks.

Payment terms:

Each client has different needs and No 18 are delighted to offer 30, 60 or 90 day payment terms or instalments in certain situations (this does not affect our terms & conditions).

Jackson Cost Budgeting rules a problem?

With the cost rules Cost budgeting is essential and you will no doubt be aware that, as part of the implementation of the Jackson reforms, most proceedings commenced on or after 1 April 2013 will fall into the new costs budgeting regime.

As you know this means that as solicitors you will be obliged to produce a costs budget in the form of new Precedent H. This budget requires you to inform the Court of the level of costs already incurred, but also to estimate future costs , including Counsel's fees up to and including trial. This budget has to be produced as soon as a Defence is filed, with all future estimated costs have to be split into "Phases" – pre-action, issue/pleadings, CMC, disclosure, witness statements, expert reports, PTR, trial preparation, trial, ADR/settlement and contingencies ( i.e interim applications).

So how can chambers help?

Together as a team, we aim to provide we are able to offer the following assistance to you:

an estimate of Counsel’s future fees at the Defence stage, split into phases as outlined above
delivery of fee notes on a regular basis as agreed - with fee notes showing the fee incurred according to the phases as outlined above; and
written notification in advance if the estimate of Counsel’s fees for a particular phase are likely to be exceeded. For this purpose, we suggest that we should be notified when Counsel’s fees reach 80% of the estimate given.