At 1EC we are keen to provide a professional service matched to your needs.

Guidance for Lay Clients 

Going to court can be a daunting prospect. We will do everything we can to ensure you receive a professional service and the best representation. We will work closely with you to seek the desired resolution for your case.

Barristers, however, operate differently to solicitors. Many barristers (and all barristers at 1EC) are self-employed. This means that your relationship with a directly instructed barrister will be different to the relationship with a solicitor.

The Bar Standards Board has prepared guidance for members of the public who directly instruct a barrister. That guidance can be found here: https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/uploads/assets/20f0db2a-a40c-4af9- 95b1b9557ad748e9/Public-Access-Guidance-for-Lay-Clients.pdf

Indicative Fees 

We understand that the precise nature of our service will have to be bespoke to your specific circumstances. To assist you in deciding whether using a public access barrister is right for you, this page contains indicative prices for some of the services that we provide. These fees are estimates only and may vary depending on the circumstances of your case. In the event that your case is not covered by this page, please contact our clerks who will be happy to assist with any indicative fees.

All information is correct as of 27 October 2020, but these fees are estimates only. For the most accurate fees estimate, please contact our clerks at clerks@1ec.co.uk or on 0207 936 3030.

Advice concerning claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975

The Inheritance Act 1975 protects spouses (including former spouses), cohabitants, children and other dependants when a person dies without leaving sufficient money for their continued wellbeing. Our barristers can provide you with written advice on whether you can make a claim under the Act. Our barristers can also provide you with written advice when a person dies and you are a beneficiary of the estate, but someone else makes a claim under the Act.

Timescales: Timescales for your written advice may vary depending on factors such as barristers’ availability, the value and complexity of the deceased person’s estate, your financial needs 32 and those of any beneficiary of the estate. However, claims under the Act must be made within six months of the grant of probate, so as a guide your written advice will be available within two to four weeks where possible.

Fees: We charge either fixed fees, which means that we will charge you a set amount of money for the written advice, or fees based on hourly rates, which means that your final fee will be based on how long it takes to prepare your advice. Below we provide estimates based on the ranges of fixed fees for barristers in 1EC.

  • Our fixed fees typically vary between £1,250.00 (plus vat where applicable) to £11,250.00 (plus VAT where applicable).
  • Our typical hourly rates vary between £125.00 (plus VAT where applicable) to £750.00 (plus VAT wehre applicable).

Your fixed fees may be towards the higher end of the range if you need a more experienced barrister and/or the deceased person’s estate is more complex. If the deceased person’s estate is particularly complex, your fees may also be higher than the estimate below.

Please note that these indicative fees only apply to cases were the estate is valued at less than £300,000.

Winding Up Petitions

If you are owed £750 or more by a company and are able to prove that the company cannot pay you, you may be able to apply to a court to close or ‘wind-up’ the company. Our barristers can advise you on the process of issuing a winding-up petition and represent you at the court hearing. If you are company which has had a winding-up petition issued against you, our barristers can also advise you on the process of defending it and represent you at the court hearing

Timescales: Timescales may vary depending on factors such as barristers’ availability, the need for additional documents and court waiting times. However, as a guide the courts tend to have a hearing date eight to ten weeks after a winding-up petition is issued.

Fees: We charge fixed fees, which means that we will charge you a set amount of money for the work. Below we provide estimates based on the ranges of fixed fees for barristers in 1EC. Your fixed fees may be towards the higher end of the range if you need a more experienced barrister and/or the matter is more complex. If the matter is particularly complex, your fees may also be higher than the estimates below. If you are issuing a winding-up petition, you should also note that even if the company is wound up, you might not get all or any of the money you are owed.

  • Advice on issuing or defending a winding up petition: £125.00 (plus VAT where applicable) to £375.00 (plus VAT where applicable) per hour.
  • Assistance with completing the court forms: £125.00 (plus VAT where applicable) to £375.00 (plus VAT where applicable) per hour.
  • Preparation for and attendance at a court hearing: £250.00 (plus VAT where applicable) to £2,500 (plus VAT where applicable)

Employment Cases

Our barristers can advise both employees and employers on unfair dismissal and wrongful dismissal claims. Our barrister can also represent both employees and employers at the Employment Tribunal.

Timescales: Timescales for your case may vary depending on factors such as barristers’ availability, the complexity of your case, the need for additional documents and the other side’s approach. However, as a guide, more straightforward cases tend to have a hearing date within four to six months of a claim being made.

Fees: We usually charge fixed fees, which means that we will charge you a set amount of money for the work. Below we provide estimates based on the ranges of fixed fees for barristers at 1EC.

Your fixed fees may vary depending on your needs – for example, your fees may be towards the higher end of the range if you need a more experienced barrister and/or you have a more complex case. If you have a particularly complex case, you fees may also be higher than the estimates below.

  • Written advice on your claim: £750 (plus VAT where applicable) to £5000.00 (plus VAT where applicable)
  • Assistance with drafting any of the tribunal documents: £250.00 (plus VAT where applicable) to £350.00 (plus VAT where applicable) per hour.
  • Preliminary hearing: £750.00 (plus VAT where applicable) to £2000.00 (plus VAT where applicable)
  • First Day’s tribunal appearance (to include Preparation of your case, including Conference ) : £1500.00 (plus VAT where applicable) to £10,000.00 (plus VAT where applicable)
  • Tribunal appearances per day, after the first day: £1250.00 (plus VAT where applicable) to £2,500 (plus VAT where applicable)
  • Remedy hearing (to decide compensation): £1500.00 (plus VAT where applicable) to £3000.00 (plus VAT where applicable)

Personal Injury Cases

If you have an accident which was not your fault and you wish to make a personal injury claim, our barristers can advise and represent you.

Timescales: Timescales for your claim may vary depending on factors such as barristers’ availability, the complexity of your claim, the need for additional document and the other side’s approach. However, more straight forward cases will ideally settle within six months of a claim being made. If a trial is required, as a guide the court tend to have a hearing date within two years of a claim being made.

Fees: Below we provide fee estimates based on how much you claim if for (generally, up to £25,000), and the ranges of the current fees for barristers at 1EC. Your fees may be towards the higher end of the range if you need a more experienced barrister and/or you have a more complex claim.

Please note that these fees may vary if you enter into a conditional fee arrangement. If you do enter a conditional fee arrangement and you are not successful on your claim, you will not normally have to pay your barrister’s fees. Your may, however, still have to pay the other side’s legal costs. If you do not already have legal expenses insurance, you may therefore wish to take out an after the event insurance policy to cover these costs.

Claim not more than £14,999

  • Conference with you: £250.00 (plus VAT where applicable) to £350.00 (plus VAT where applicable) per hour.
  • Written advice on your claim: £1250.00 (plus VAT where applicable) to £2,500 (plus VAT where applicable)
  • Drafting a statement of case: £500.00 (plus VAT where applicable) to £750.00 (plus VAT where applicable).
  • Trial (if required): £1,750 (plus VAT where applicable) to £2,500.00 (plus VAT where applicable)

Claim worth more than £15,000 but generally not more than £25,000

  • Conference with you: £250.00 (plus VAT where applicable) to £350.00 (plus VAT where applicable)
  • Written advice on your claim: £2000.00 (plus VAT where applicable) to £2,500.00 (plus VAT where applicable)
  • Drafting a statement of case: £750.00 (plus where applicable) to £1500.00 (plus VAT where applicable)
  • Trial (if required): £2,500 (plus VAT where applicable) to £5000.00 (plus VAT where applicable)