We pride ourselves in being a family run, ethical practice and from the start, the setting of our fees at a level to make a living rather than a fortune has been our priority.
A solicitor's practice is only funded by the solicitor's hourly fee or his/her income from fixed fee charges. This income has to cover everything from indemnity insurance to paper clips, salaries and computer systems to stamps. The fee charged is usually set with regard to how much experience the solicitor has, how long he or she has been qualified and indeed what additional qualifications the solicitor may have.
Few practices will publish the fees they charge and it can be difficult to obtain the figures over the telephone; many firms wishing to discuss how much the legal services are likely to cost at a free half hour interview, after which the potential client may feel some obligation to use that firm. Fees may be given in a range with the lowest figure being for a paralegal or legal executive to carry out the work, to the highest figure charged by a partner. The firm may offer team working with a senior person fronting the matter but with less experienced personnel carrying out the work for you.
We do not work in this way and our experience is that clients find this most refreshing. As a means of transparency, we are happy to publish the following:
Jonathan, Charles and Stuart's hourly fee is £245 plus VAT and we also offer fixed price charging for conveyancing, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Wills as shown below. No extra charges are made for local home visits, evening appointments and telephone calls, or the secure storage of documents.
