About

No.18’s Approach to Employment & Discrimination

Last Month in the Legal Gazette one of the commentators was quoted as saying that ‘ Business as usual ‘for Personal Injury and Civil work is a ‘fairly distant prospect’. Whether this is still true after the latest announcement from Lord Chief Justice and Lord Justice Lindblom   

(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/court-and-tribunal-recovery-update-in-response-to-coronavirus) which details the recovery plan  for the court and tribunals in response to coronavirus remains to be seen. In this response the Lord Chancellor has agreed that sitting days should be used to their maximum in this period and courts should not hesitate in using fee-paid and deputy judges to fill any gaps which cannot be filled by the salaried judiciary  saying  “It is now all hands to the pump” . Even if this is the case what is for certain is that the back log that was there before the coronavirus hit has only increased;  the use and uncertainty of hearing done on’ paper’ are here to remain for a little time yet ; and the use of dispute resolution will rise (please click the attached link for details as to our remote dispute resolution innovation)

No.18 Chambers recognises the hurdles in providing high quality legal services for clients with the challenging times ahead which will make clients more hesitant in paying for legal representation in civil cases .To assist we remain committed to deliver exceptional advice, representation and resolution.  We base our service on being 'committed to our clients’, ‘serious about service’ and ‘always fair on fees’. Exceptional service is the corner stone of our ethos.

We believe in providing the same great service whether the case is small or high in value or claim. Lay clients deserve high standards of specialist advice and advocacy regardless of the value of their claim. We also know that our professional clients want our support and assistance to win cases and maximise damages for our clients in all types of cases.

In order to ensure this No.18 are delighted to offer eight schemes in order to assist in every eventuality (further details of each set out below);

In order to facilitate this, No.18 are delighted to introduce eight schemes:

• CFAs with a 0% success fee on all PI and Clinical Negligence claims (subject to risk assessment)
• Fixed fee’s for Small Claims/Fast Tracks/Infant Settlements and  Stage 3 hearings
• No Win Low Fee agreements
• Package Deals
• Meet the insurance
• Armed & Police Forces Discount
• Emergency Services Discount
• The Advice, Pleading and Support Package

At No.18 we recognise that post Jackson, any success that is claimed by counsel has to come out of the client damages. Committed to maximizing the clients damages, No.18 are delighted to commit to a 0% success fee on post-April 2013 CFAs

No.18 are delighted to commit to fixed fee’s on settlement advices, these can prove very useful when a hearing has been ordered to take place on paper or where parties are looking to enter into joint settlement negotiations

No.18 are delighted to commit to fixed fee’s for the below hearings;

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

No.18 are able to offer fee packages in relation to written advisory work, drafting, conferences & litigation (for example a global fee for both a conference and hearing or drafting and a hearing).

Where the matter is insurance backed, No.18 will do our utmost to work within the rates agreed with each insurance company and where there are agreed rates (either hourly or fixed) between another Chambers and that insurance firm we will also do our best to match the fees.  We are able to do both in most cases.

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

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

No.18  are delighted to  offer our new Advice, Pleading and Support package to clients in Small Claims  and Fast Track cases where costs are fixed in accordance with the provisions of the CPR: please see below for our table of fees that we offer to do so at a fixed price

Our Barristers will provide at your request:

• Advice on liability, quantum and evidence;
• Pleadings;
• Telephone or (if needed) face to face conference with solicitor and client;
• Assistance with ad hoc queries by phone or email where reasonably required.