Terms and Conditions

Fees

Barristers in chambers most often charge fixed fees which are agreed with the solicitor or client before work commences. No additional fees will be charged without prior agreement.

Written advice will be available within 14 days unless otherwise agreed timescales for a case may vary depending on factors such as barristers’ availability, the type and complexity of the case, the other side’s approach and court waiting times.

Our barristers charge fixed fees, which means that we will charge you a set amount of money for the work. When agreeing a fixed fee, we aim to agree a standard fee based on the work required for that type of case, the following factors are taking into consideration: The barristers hourly rate (stated on each barrister profile), time in reading case papers and preparation, attendance in court and/or conference, complexity and urgency.

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, your fees may also be higher than the estimates below. There may also be additional costs for travel and/or hotel should this be required.

Here we provide estimates based on the ranges of fixed fees for barristers in Quartz Chambers. All fees exclude VAT. Some of our barristers are NOT VAT registered, you can see who is and who is not on each barrister’s profile.

Complaints

Barristers in chambers are regulated by the Bar Standards Board. You can search the Barristers’ Register on the Bar Standards Board’s website.

This shows (1) whether a barrister has a current practising 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).

In the first instance you should follow our complaints procedure. We try to deal with complaints as quickly as possible. You will normally receive a telephone call within 3 working days if you have a wish to discuss a matter before making a formal complaint. If you submit a written complaint then you should receive an outcome within 21 working days unless otherwise agreed. If an outside panel is convened then it may take longer or if the Barrister is asked to respond in writing it may take a little more time than is usually anticipated. If there is a delay in the process you will be notified in writing.

You can complain to the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) if you are unhappy with the final response to your complaint, or if your complaint has not been dealt with in eight weeks.

Clients who have a right to complain to the LeO are individuals and, broadly speaking, small businesses and charities.

The full list of who has a right to complain to the LeO is available on their website.

You must complain to the Legal Ombudsman either within six years of your barrister’s actions/failure to act, or no later than three years after you should reasonably have known there were grounds to complain. You must also complain to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving your barrister’s final response to your complaint.

You can also search the decision data on the LeO’s website

This shows providers which received an ombudsman’s decision in the previous calendar year, and whether the LeO required the provider to give the consumer a remedy. Alternatively, you can contact the LeO on 0300 555 0333 to ask about this (or email enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk).