THE NEW TRANSPARENCY RULES
We are regulated by the Bar Standards Board
[www.barstandardsboard.org.uk]
(“the BSB”) and are required to adopt new transparency practices following the Competition and Markets Authority’s recommendation in December 2016 that the legal regulators deliver up to date transparency standards to help clients understand the price and service they will receive, what redress is available and the regulatory status of their provider. Clients should ring 0203 105 0992 or send an email to info@b4rrister.co.uk to obtain a quote.
Our contact details can be found on the Home Page of this website.
The pricing for the work we do is on hourly basis or fixed fee and we discuss all aspects of the pricing with clients before work is accepted. The level of our fees will depend largely on how much time is spent dealing with the client’s case. When a client instructs us, we will give an estimate of the likely level of our fees. Unless we tell the client otherwise, this will be an estimate only, not a fixed quotation. If the client asks for a fixed quotation, we will try to provide one but it may not be possible to predict the amount of time we will need to deal with a matter. Client may set an upper limit on costs which means that we will not do any work that will take our fees over this limit without the Client’s written consent. If we provide a fixed quotation, this will only apply to the work we agree at the time. If the Client then asks us to do extra work, we will charge for the extra work. We do not pay client’s disbursements and we will always require clients to pay for any disbursements incurred for example court fees, expert reports fees etc. We are also able to take account of the client’s personal circumstances in deciding what fees to charge for our services so that clients on low income can expect that we would take their personal circumstances into account. We pride ourselves in ensuring that clients on low income are not denied the opportunity to secure good quality legal advice and assistance. Our charge out rates will depend on the level of experience of the barrister.
Our practice areas can be found on the Home Page of this website. We provide legal advice, assistance and representation to professional clients. "Lay clients" can instruct us under the Public Access Rules whereby barristers can be instructed directly without the need for a solicitor. We are authorised in the conduct of litigation.
In terms of timescale, when our barristers are instructed to provide advisory work, unless otherwise agreed, we expect to return work within 10 working days and we will aim to keep the client informed if that changes for any reason, for example due to the client not providing timely and complete instructions; illness; or urgent court work on another matter. When our barristers are instructed to provide services regarding litigation, timescales will usually depend on similar factors mentioned with regard to advisory work, plus response times of the court; the other party/parties; and any other third parties directly involved in the litigation, such as expert witnesses. For the avoidance of doubt, we have a crucial obligation to comply with Court Directions/Orders.
Clients who require copies of our complaints procedure, any right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman (LeO), how to complain to the Legal Ombudsman and the Ombudsman’s time limit can contact us for a copy of our Complaint’s Procedure.
previous 12 months, and whether LeO required the provider to give the consumer a remedy.
Alternatively, you can contact LeO on 0300 555 0333 to ask about this (or e-mail
enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk).
Barristers in chambers are regulated by the Bar Standards Board. You can search the
Barristers’ Register on the Bar Standards Board’s website:
certificate, and (2) whether a barrister has any disciplinary findings, which are published on
the Bar Standards Board’s website in accordance with their policy. Alternatively, you can
contact the Bar Standards Board on 020 7611 1444 to ask about this (or e-mail
ContactUs@BarStandardsBoard.org.uk).
Members of chambers have professional liability insurance provided by the Bar Mutual. Bar Mutual are at Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund Limited, 90 Fenchurch Street, London EC3M 4ST.
You can search for barristers who are authorised to practise in England and Wales on the Direct Access Portal:
www.barcouncil.org.uk. For more information about Public Access, please see the Public Access Guidance for Lay Clients provided by the Bar Standards Board. [www.barstandardsboard.org.uk].
GOULDS GREEN CHAMBERS: REGULATED BY THE BAR STANDARDS BOARD.
Tel: 0203 105 0992
Email: info@b4rrister.co.uk