The cost of legal advice and the risk of having to pay the other side’s costs is a justifiable concern of anyone contemplating legal action. However, these days, it is possible to remove those risks with “no win no fee” arrangements with solicitors and insuring against the consequences of a costs order against you.
Free assessment and advice
Simon Jackson Solicitors offer a free assessment of your case. We will advise you whether it can be taken forward on a “no win no fee” basis, and if not, whether the case is a good one and how much it is likely to cost in fees. Also, you can take advantage of our free angling law advice service. If you contact us with a problem that can be dealt with in half an hour or less, including writing letters and making telephone calls, if appropriate, we will deal with this work for free. You can take advantage of this service without paying any annual subscription.
Other work
If the help you want is not covered by the above, then we will give you a fixed quote for the acquisition or disposal of fishing rights or an overall costs estimate in other cases. Often the best way forward in cases where the final amount of fees is uncertain is to agree fee ceilings so that you know fees will never exceed a pre-arranged amount without your agreement.
Simon Jackson’s charging rates will vary between £100 and £150 plus VAT per hour depending on the complexity of the matter. Disbursements such as experts and Counsel’s fees, Court fees and travelling and accommodation will be charged in addition, and we will advise what these are as the case goes along and agree them in advance where possible for larger amounts.
“No win no fee”
“No win no fee” and conditional fee agreements means your solicitor, and not you, takes the risk as to whether the case is successful. As a reward for the risk the solicitor charges a success fee or bonus if they win the case, but this success fee is normally recoverable from the other party as long as it is reasonable.
Costs Insurance
There is a range of insurance products available to help with legal costs. “Before the event” policies involve annual premiums which provide funding for legal action if needed.
“After the event” policies provide cover against the risk of paying the other sides costs and your own or part of them if you lose. You pay a one off premium for these policies. If you win your case these premiums are recoverable from the other side, provided they are reasonable.
All this means that you can prosecute a claim without risk on your part, knowing that the other side will meet all your costs if you win, provided they are reasonable, and that liability for costs will be recovered by insurance if you lose.
Simon Jackson Solicitors have contacts with insurance providers and can help fill in proposal forms and obtain quotes if required.
Please contact us for more information for a free assessment and more details on funding.