SRA Transparency

Haighs Law Firm is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and as such we are required to comply with their SRA transparency rules and regulations.

As of 6th December 2018, Haighs Law Firm, SRA solicitors in Gateshead, are required to comply with the SRA Transparency Rules.

The SRA transparency rules require all regulated law firms who publish as part of their usual business that they offer certain services, to publish information on the prices they charge and also to publish their complaints procedure.

The aim of the SRA Transparency Rules is to make sure consumers have the information they need to make an informed choice of legal services provider, including understanding what the costs may be.

The prices that are quoted below do not include VAT.

For members of the public:

Motoring offences (summary only offences)

Haighs Law Firm are required to provide price information for assistance in relation to summary only motoring offences under Part I of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and s89 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

There are options as to how to fund your case, namely: –

1. An hourly rate
2. A fixed fee

Hourly rate

If you choose to pay on an hourly rate basis, Benjamin Haigh & Matthew Savage charge £200 plus VAT per hour. At the start of any matter funded in this way, we can provide an estimate of the number of hours it will take to complete your case so that you are fully aware of the potential costs. The estimate will be tailored to the specific facts of your case.

This will include: –

• Considering evidence

• Providing advice in relation to plea and likely sentence

• If we are unable to anticipate the likely sentence, we will advise on the options available to the court in relation to sentencing

• Where appropriate, advice on whether an exceptional hardship, or special reasons argument should be made

• Representation at a single hearing

Fixed fee

Drink driving offence, guilty plea – fixed fee £1,000 plus VAT

Fee includes: –

• 2 hours attendance/preparation: –

– considering evidence
– taking your instructions
– providing advice on likely sentence

• Attendance and representation at a single hearing at a local Magistrates’ Court (i.e. a local Magistrates’ Court is one within a 25-mile radius of our office in Gateshead. If beyond this, there will be a requirement for an additional fee to be charged to cover travel time and mileage disbursement).

The fee does not include:

• instruction of any expert witnesses

• taking statements from any witnesses

• advice and assistance in relation to a special reasons hearing

• advice or assistance in relation to any appeal

The key stages of your matter are based on the presumption that you have entered a guilty plea and have a date for your hearing.

• We will meet with you so that you can provide instructions on what happened.

• We will consider initial disclosure, and any other evidence and provide advice.

• We will arrange to take any witness statements if necessary (this will have an additional cost, starting at £100 per statement based on half an hour of time spent).

• We will explain the court procedure to you so you know what to expect on the day of your hearing, and the sentencing options available to the court.

• We will conduct any further preparatory work, obtain further instructions from you if necessary and answer any follow up queries you have.

• We cannot provide a timescale of when your hearing will take place, as this depends on the court listing for that day.

• We will attend court on the day and meet with you before going before the court. We anticipate being at court for probably half a day.

• We will discuss the outcome with you. If advice is required on appeal, this will carry an additional cost.

Exceptional Hardship applications and mitigation – fixed fee £1,000 plus VAT

Fee includes: –

• 2-3 hours attendance/preparation: –

– considering evidence
– taking your instructions
– assessing the merits of making an exceptional hardship application
– liaising with witnesses (however, if statements are required, this will attract an additional fee)

• Attendance and representation at a single hearing at a local Magistrates’ Court (i.e. a local Magistrates’ Court is one within a 25-mile radius of our office in Gateshead. If beyond this, there will be a requirement for an additional fee to be charged to cover travel time and mileage disbursement).

The fee does not include:

• instruction of any expert witnesses

• taking statements from any witnesses

• advice or assistance in relation to any appeal

Matters involving Employment Law issues can vary significantly in size and complexity. Therefore, it is difficult to provide a total cost of a service. However, Haighs Law Firm are able to provide an average cost or range of costs as an alternative.

We will provide below a normal range of costs for cases depending on their general complexity. As a guide we will set out factors below that may help you gauge whether your matter would be of simple, medium or high complexity.

As part of this information below, we will identify a variety of stages that your matter may include.

Allied to this, as part of your matter being explored, we will also identify if there are other claims to be brought alongside the main claim, such as a discrimination or victimisation claim. If this is the case, this may well have an impact on the costs estimate and if this is the case, we will discuss this with you so that you are fully aware of any further cost implications.

We will explore with you that there may be other funding options available, such as cover under an insurance policy and that we will check that with you at your first appointment.

Range of costs regarding bringing claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal

Simple case: £5,000-£10,000 (excluding VAT)

Medium complexity case: £10,000-£15,000 (excluding VAT)

High complexity case: £15,000-£50,000 (excluding VAT)

Factors that could make a case more complex: –

• If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim

• Making or defending a costs application

• Complex preliminary issues such as whether the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties)

• The number of witnesses and documents

• If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. if you are dismissed after blowing the whistle on your employer

• Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal

There will be an additional charge for attending a Tribunal Hearing of £500 per day (excluding VAT). Generally, we would allow 2-5 days depending on the complexity of your case.

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Counsel’s fees estimated between £500-£1,000 per day (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).

Key stages

The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim: –

• Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on merits and likely compensation (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change)

• Entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached

• Preparing claim or response

• Reviewing and advising on response from other party

• Exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process

• Preparing or considering a schedule of loss

• Preparing for (and attending) a Preliminary Hearing

• Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents

• Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses

• Preparing bundle of documents

• Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements

• Agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list

• Preparation and attendance at Final Hearing, including instructions to Counsel

The stages set out above are an indication and if some of stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.

How long will my matter take?

The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved and the work volumes before the Employment Tribunal. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take 3-6 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 3-12 months. This is just an estimate and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.

We can help you through this difficult process by obtaining the Grant of Representation (commonly referred to as a Grant of Probate) on your behalf. We will also undertake the collecting and distributing of assets.

We anticipate this can be anywhere between 6 and 100 hours of work, depending on the complexity of the estate, starting from £75 per hour up to £200 per hour, depending on the level of experience required from the person undertaking the work. All fees are exclusive of VAT, and disbursements such as probate registry fees which are set by statute and are currently £155.

The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end.

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.
We will:
  • Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on your matter

  • Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries

  • Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require

  • Obtain and draft all relevant documents required to make the appropriate application

  • Complete the appropriate application and all relevant HMRC forms

  • Make the application to the Probate Registry on your behalf

  • Obtain the Grant

  • Collect and distribute all assets in the estate

For small businesses:

We will charge £50 plus VAT for any standard letter that we have to send to a defendant or third party. We do not charge percentages or fixed fees based upon the overall value of the claim. All other work undertaken will be charged at £200 per hour plus VAT.

These charges apply regardless of whether the debt is disputed or not.

Please note that where a debt is disputed, and court action is necessary, court fees ranging from £35-£5,000 will be payable in addition to our fee which are set by HM Courts and Tribunals Services and are subject to change from time to time.

Matters involving Employment Law issues can vary significantly in size and complexity. Therefore, it is difficult to provide a total cost of a service. However, Haighs Law Firm are able to provide an average cost or range of costs as an alternative.

We will provide below a normal range of costs for cases depending on their general complexity. As a guide we will set out factors below that may help you gauge whether your matter would be of simple, medium or high complexity.

As part of this information below, we will identify a variety of stages that your matter may include.

Allied to this, as part of your matter being explored, we will also identify if there are other claims to defend alongside the main claim, such as a discrimination or victimisation claim. If this is the case, this may well have an impact on the costs estimate and if this is the case, we will discuss this with you so that you are fully aware of any further cost implications.

Range of costs regarding defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal

Simple case: £5,000-£7,500 (excluding VAT)

Medium complexity case: £7,500-£15,000 (excluding VAT)

High complexity case: £15,000-£100,000 (excluding VAT)

Factors that could make a case more complex: –

• If it is necessary to defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim

• Defending claims that are brought by litigants in person

• Making or defending a costs application

• Complex preliminary issues such as whether the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties)

• The number of witnesses and documents

• If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. if you are dismissed after blowing the whistle on your employer

• Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal

There will be an additional charge for attending a Tribunal Hearing of £500 per day (excluding VAT). Generally, we would allow 2-5 days depending on the complexity of your case.

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Counsel’s fees estimated between £500 to £1,000 per day (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation)

Key stages

The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim: –

• Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on merits and likely exposure for compensation (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change)

• Entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached

• Preparing response to the claim

• Reviewing and advising on claim or response from other party

• Exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process

• Preparing or considering a schedule of loss

• Preparing for (and attending) a Preliminary Hearing

• Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents

• Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses

• Preparing bundle of documents

• Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements

• Agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list

• Preparation and attendance at Final Hearing, including instructions to Counsel

The stages set out above are an indication and if some of stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.

How long will my matter take?

The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved and the work volumes before the Employment Tribunal. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take 3-6 weeks. If the case proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 3-12 months. This is just an estimate and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.

Complaints procedure

Haighs Law Firm, your trusted SRA solicitors in Gateshead, is committed to providing you with the best possible service. However, if at any point you become unhappy or concerned about the service we have provided then you should inform us immediately, so that we can do our best to resolve the problem.

In the first instance it may be helpful to contact the person who is working on your case to discuss your concerns and we will do our best to resolve any issues at this stage. If you would like to make a formal complaint, then you can read our full complaints procedure here. Making a complaint will not affect how we handle your case.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help you if you are concerned about our behaviour. This could be for things like dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or other characteristic.

You can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

What do to if we cannot resolve your complaint

The Legal Ombudsman can help you if we are unable to resolve your complaint ourselves. They will look at your complaint independently and it will not affect how we handle your case.

Before accepting a complaint for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. If you have, then you must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:

• Within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint

and

• No more than six years from the date of act/omission; or

• No more than three years from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.

If you would like more information about the Legal Ombudsman, please contact them.

Contact details

Visit: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Call: 0300 555 0333 between 9am to 5pm.
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH