Legal
Funding
There are several potential ways in which you can pay for our legal services. We will talk to you about your available options.
Paying privately
The most straightforward option is to pay for legal advice yourself. This may be suitable if you want complete flexibility, if funding is not available from another source, or if you want to deal with a matter quickly.
Private funding can be structured in different ways, including hourly rates, fixed fees for defined work, staged fees, or a capped budget for part of a case. We will always explain the likely costs as clearly as possible at the outset.
We maintain low straightforward hourly rates to ensure you receive the best value. Our lawyers charge £250 plus VAT per hour, and our paralegals charge £135 per VAT.
We account for our time spent on each matter, and you will receive a fully itemised bill which explains the work undertaken, and the associated cost.
Legal expenses insurance
Some people already have legal expenses cover without realising it. This can sometimes be included with home insurance, motor insurance, bank account packages, credit cards, or other insurance products.
If you have this type of policy, it may cover some or all of your legal costs, depending on the wording of the policy and the nature of the dispute.
It is often worth checking for existing cover before starting a claim privately.
Trade union funding
If you are a member of a trade union, the union may be able to fund legal advice or representation for certain employment, workplace, injury, or discrimination matters.
Eligibility usually depends on the type of issue and the union's own rules. If this applies to you, we can discuss how union support may work alongside your legal options.
Conditional fee agreements
In some cases, legal work can be funded through a conditional fee agreement, sometimes called a "no win, no fee" arrangement.
Under this type of agreement, some or all of our fees may only become payable if the case succeeds.
This option is not available for every case. Where it is available, we will explain exactly how it works, what counts as success, and whether any other costs or liabilities could still arise.
Damages-based agreements
A damages-based agreement is another form of outcome-based funding.
Under this arrangement, the legal fee is usually a percentage of the compensation recovered if the claim succeeds.
This is only suitable in some types of cases, and there are rules about when it can be used.
If it is a realistic option, we will explain the percentage, the likely deductions, and the alternatives.
Third-party funding
In higher-value or more complex disputes, a third-party funder may agree to finance the legal costs in return for a share of the recovery if the case succeeds.
This type of funding is usually considered where the claim is strong and the value of the dispute justifies the involvement of a professional funder.
It is more common in substantial commercial litigation than in everyday personal legal matters.
Before the event and after the event insurance
Insurance can play an important role in legal funding.
Before the event insurance is cover you already have in place before a dispute arises, often through an existing policy.
After the event insurance is insurance taken out after a dispute has started, usually to protect against the risk of having to pay the other side's costs if the claim is unsuccessful.
This is more common in litigation and may be used alongside other funding arrangements. Payment for the insurance is often deferred until the end of the claim.
Insurance is subject to underwriting by the third party insurer, and there is no guarantee that it can be obtained.
Funding through an employer, company or organisation
Sometimes legal advice is paid for by an employer, a company, trustees, shareholders, or another organisation with an interest in the matter.
This is more common in business, regulatory, governance, and workplace-related issues.
Where someone else is funding the advice, it is important to be clear from the outset who the client is, who is giving instructions, and whether any conflicts of interest need to be considered.