IMPORTANT TERMS - JOHN BROWN - DIRECT ACCESS CASES - THESE ARE IMPORTANT AND YOU MUST READ THEM

My work is Regulated by the Bar Standards Board

My current hourly rate for preparing a case is £250ph + VAT and should you wish me to do work such as drafting - I will have to see how much is involved and then I can quote for 1 or more hours to do the work.

I have fees to attend court for less than 1/2 day (less than 1/2 day is only for courts local to me in NE) then I have fees for 1/2 day, 1 day etc The fees will depend on location, travel costs, type of case and how long listed for. 

BY READING THIS DOCUMENT YOU ARE AGREEING TO THESE TERMS

ALL FEES ARE + VAT.

FEE INFORMATION CLICK HERE 

The fees within the above link are indicative and will depend on the type of case and complexity. I will try in all matters to set a fixed price, or I will agree for work to done in 1 or more hours at my hourly rate.

Note that if I agree to prepare your case I will bill for prep, drafting, phone calls, emails and disbursements. 

I am ALWAYS willing to beat any written quote you have from a firm of solicitors or from any other Direct Access Barrister (called between 2000 and 2005) to attend a hearing.  TRY ME

1. I provide all clients an initial 15 minute free consultation (this is not to discuss the case in detail) if you are seeking to instruct me. All other time will be charged. 

2. Most cases need longer than 15 minutes so a 1 hour (billed) call will be necessary.

3. If I think I can take on your case we will discuss if fixed fees can be agreed or if it is work to be billed at the hourly rate.

4. I cannot pay court fees or e.g. experts fees - YOU have to sort that out.

5. I cannot pay E-Filing fees, I can load the papers onto your account and leave them in the basket so you can pay the court fees. If your case is one that needs to be loaded into E-Filing you will need to open a free account. 

https://efile.cefile-app.com/login?referer=%2F

6.   I will ONLY come on the record for high value civil claims. 

7. Anything you send to me must be sent by post or by email DO NOT SEND case materials by WhatsApp or text.  DO NOT send me original documents.  All docs send by post will be scanned and then shredded. The only emails to use are jb@barristerjohnbrown.co.uk and jaynie@barristerjohnbrown.co.uk 

8. Do NOT embed documents into emails, they must be sent as separate attachments for each document, and they must be named so I can see what they are - if I have to read multiple documents and rename them as they have not been done as these terms, I shall be entitled to charge my time for doing so.

9. I only accept WORD and PDF documents, you can use the website I LOVE PDF to change other format docs (free) into PDF.

10. I do not use Apple products so all documents you send me must be able to be opened in MS Windows.

11. If you have very large documents to send electronically, use the website TRANSFER NOW - which is free. I will NOT accept multiple emails with part of a documents within each for me to then try and join up.

12. If you are booking me to just attend a court hearing you will be billed a one-off fee for that work - the agreed fee is then for me ONLY to,  

1. read the hearing bundle,  
2. meet you at court about 45 minutes before the hearing, and 
3. to act for you at the hearing. 

The agreed fee DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY OTHER WORK. 

IF YOU WANT OTHER WORK DONE (E.G draft a Skeleton Argument, preparing a hearing bundle, further consultations, or for me to e.g. vet or draft witness statements) THAT CAN BE AGREED BUT WILL BE AT AN ADDITIONAL COST. 

13. If I am instructed just to attend a court date, I do not expect clients  to keep calling or sending emails - if you do that the time for those emails and calls will be billed at my current hourly rate.

14. I cannot contact the OTHER SIDE for you (be it an individual or a solicitor) if I am not on the record, you will be a Litigant in Person. 

15. If you are booking me just to attend court, I require a 50% deposit to be paid to book the date, NOTE until you pay that deposit, the date is just PENCILLED IN. 

16. If you do not pay that deposit within 2 days of receipt of invoice, other bookings may be taken, and your case will be taken out of the diary. 

17. If you have taken up time other than the 15 minute free consultation that I offer, you agree that I can charge you for that time, even if I then take a booking from someone else. 

18. The deposit is refundable if you cancel within 14 days, or if the Court vacates the hearing on it own basis within 14 days of any hearing otherwise it is NON refundable.

19. The balance of the invoice for me attending court MUST be paid at least 5 working days before the hearing date and you MUST send an email to:

jb@barristerjohnbrown.co.uk and jaynie@barristerjohnbrown.co.uk 

to confirm the payment has been made. I will NOT chase you for payment - if you do not pay I will not attend court. 

21. I charge my time based on the Court Order so e.g. if an Order states that  a case is listed for 3 days but it then concludes after 2 days, a refund of 2/3 will be paid on remaining days.

22. If I attend court and it concludes early e.g. in 1/2 day when listed for 1 day, no refunds will be given.

23 I will indicate travel and hotel costs when I take a booking, but if they increase when I book them you agree to pay the difference. These costs are also payable 5 working days prior to the hearing.

24. The office open from 9.00am to 5.00pm - all calls outwith these hours will go to voicemail and calls will be returned the following morning, should you chose to leave a message.  

25. If I attend court, I will plan to be there between 45 minutes and 1 hour before the hearing start time. 

26. If you want me to take over a case where you already have solicitors acting, I cannot do any work until you send me the full case papers. I will charge 1 hour of my time to decide if I can take on such a case - 

AFTER I REVIEW THE CASE PAPERS IF I THEN INDICATE I CAN TAKE ON THE CASE YOU MUST THEN DISMISS THE SOLICITORS .