Our Fees
We have options for clients when it comes to fees and are always happy to discuss issues that arise from the cost of your case. In the interest of transparency and in an effort to keep things simple, we feel that clients find a breakdown helpful.
Legal Aid
We are one of the firms that has a Legal Aid contract. We have been extensively audited by the Legal Aid Agency and we are an approved supplier. This means that representation at the police station is free unless private representation has been discussed, which we also provide. This means that if you are arrested by the police and request Harewood Law to act on your behalf, you will not be charged unless previously agreed. In the Magistrates Court and the Crown Court, you may also be entitled to Legal Aid, which means that we can again represent you for free, but there is a means test, which considers your income, and a merits test, which looks at the allegations you face. In most circumstances, people get Legal Aid in the Magistrates Court and the Crown Court, but in some circumstances, where a person’s income passes a certain threshold they must contribute to the cost of their Crown Court case. Please contact our offices to discuss Legal Aid for your case.
Explanation of Fees
Fixed Fees
In many situations, we are able to offer to act on your behalf for a defined service for an agreed sum of money. This is a “fixed fee”. This is very common when we provide quotes for cases. For all fixed fees, please ask your lawyer when you speak with them. Please note that disbursements are payable in addition to our fees.
Hourly Rate with Estimate and Agreed Limit
While all clients can opt to pay our fees privately on an hourly rate, there are some situations where we would not recommend it and others where we are in fact unable to provide any alternative method of payment. Our hourly rates will be discussed with you at our first meeting and will be confirmed in writing. We will provide you with a cost estimate and a cost limit if you wish to ensure that you will not incur costs beyond a certain level. Please note that disbursements are payable in addition to our fees.
- Senior Solicitor: £500 per hour plus VAT at 20% (£100)
- Solicitor: £350 per hour plus VAT at 20% (£70.00)
- Paralegal: £250 per hour plus VAT at 20% (£50.00)
Insurance Funding
It is not uncommon for clients to have insurance cover to fund the cost of lawyers acting on their behalf. If this is the case, we can ask your provider to see if they are prepared to support your case and authorise us to act for you.
Solicitors’ Fees and Disbursements
Clients want to know how much a particular service will cost and be told in simple terms. The estimate, quote or agreement offered will always include two elements – Solicitors’ fees and disbursements. Solicitors’ fees are what we as a firm are paid for the work that we carry out on your behalf. Solicitors’ fees attract VAT. Disbursements are additional costs incurred as a consequence of the instruction. Examples include court fees, expert fees, barrister fees etc.
Motoring offences: price and service information
There are many driving offences, ranging from minor matters to serious ones, and the punishments vary just as widely. We can help with drink and drug driving, mobile phone offences, speeding, dangerous driving and driving without insurance, among others. The guide below sets out our pricing for motoring offences. Every case is individual, so prices may vary. You can read more about how we defend these cases on our road traffic offences page.
Motoring offence, summary only, guilty plea
Fixed fee: £3,000 plus VAT at 20% (£600 VAT, £3,600 including VAT).
What is included: attendance and/or preparation; considering evidence; taking your instructions; providing advice on likely sentence; attendance and representation at a single hearing at the Magistrates Court.
What is not included: instruction of any expert witnesses; taking statements from any witnesses; advice and assistance in relation to a Special Reasons or exceptional hardship hearing; advice or assistance in relation to any appeal. No expenses or disbursements are included, and courts outside Leeds will incur additional costs.
Not guilty pleas, trials and other hearings
- Full-day trial at the Magistrates Court: £3,000 plus VAT at 20% (£600).
- Half-day trial at the Magistrates Court: £2,000 plus VAT at 20% (£400).
- Special reasons or exceptional hardship hearing: £2,000 plus VAT at 20% (£400).
Each of these fees includes all of the preparatory work, attendances upon and of witnesses, and attendance at court. No disbursements or expenses are included, and courts outside Leeds will incur additional costs.
Key stages of the work
The stages below assume you have entered a guilty plea and have a hearing date. Conferences can be by telephone or video.
- Meeting you to take instructions on what happened.
- Considering initial disclosure and any other evidence, and giving you advice.
- Arranging to take any witness statements, charged on an hourly basis at the rates set out above.
- Explaining court procedure so you know what to expect on the day, and the sentencing options open to the court.
- Carrying out any further preparatory work, taking further instructions and answering any follow-up queries.
- Attending court on the day and meeting you before you go before the court.
- Discussing the outcome with you. Advice on an appeal carries an additional cost.
How long it takes
For a summary only motoring matter we anticipate being at court for half a day. We cannot give a timescale for when your hearing will be held, because that depends on the court listing.
Notes
A summary only offence is one that can only be tried in the Magistrates’ Court, subject to the exceptions in the Criminal Justice Act 1988. The principal summary only motoring offences are driving whilst disqualified, careless and inconsiderate driving, failing to give information as to the identity of the driver, failing to stop or report, and speeding. A Special Reasons argument applies where you have been found guilty or have pleaded guilty and face disqualification, and you ask the court to accept that the circumstances make a ban unjust. An exceptional hardship hearing is where you have been found guilty or have pleaded guilty and ask the court to accept that disqualification would cause you or others exceptional hardship.
Leeds LS1 2ND
