Members of Chambers act for a wide range of clients across a range of practice areas including crime, immigration, civil, family and commercial law. Our work is both publically and privately funded and ranges from initial advice through to conducting appeals.

Chambers mainly operates on a referral basis and most members of Chambers are therefore only able to advise or act once they have received instructions from a solicitor or other qualified professional. However some Members are able to accept instructions directly from a member of the public. For more information on this please visit our Direct Access page. 

This present page sets out relevant information on instructing our Members. If you have any questions then please do not hesitate to phone one of our helpful clerking team.

A: WHO CAN INSTRUCT OUR BARRISTERS?

Members act for a wide range of clients from individuals to mutli-national companies. Our work comes predominantly from solicitors firms and in-house legal teams. We also act on behalf of Government Agencies, including the CPS, FCA and SFO.

The Clerks will be happy to advise as to the best way for a particular client to instruct any Member of Chambers. If you are any of the following, you may contact Chambers directly to obtain a quotation for services provided by one of our barristers:

• Solicitors or other practising lawyers;
• Licensed Access clients, who may either hold a licence issued by the Bar Standards Board, or be a member of a professional body which has been recognised by the Bar Standards Board; and
• Members of the public who wish to instruct a barrister under the Public Access scheme

B: WHICH BARRISTER TO INSTRUCT?

The Clerks will be happy to assist solicitors and clients by recommending the individual barrister that would be best suited to deal with a particular matter. All our barristers have profiles on Chambers’ Website which can be downloaded and are routinely kept up-to-date.

C.FEES

The work undertaken by Members of Chambers ranges across the full spectrum of complexity, duration and our practice areas. 

Fees for hearings are usually charged on the basis of a brief fee (to cover case preparation) and daily refreshers (to cover attendance at a hearing), although fixed fees can be agreed in appropriate cases..

Advice is commonly provided on a fixed fee basis but in certain cases an hourly rate may be appropriate.  Similarly, in long running or ongoing instructions, work is commonly charged on the basis of fixed fees to reflect stages of case preparation or an hourly rate with a capped costs for specific elements of work

Every matter is different and the fee quoted will be dependant on a number of factors including complexity, the type of hearing, the volume of paperwork, the likely time scale, urgency and the seniority and experience of the barrister being instructed. This list is indicative and not exhaustive.  Prices as such can vary greatly, from an hourly rate of £75 to £1000: there is however no upper or lower limit.  Our fees are flexible and competitive, while reflecting our high standard of advice and service. The current rate of VAT will be added to all fees (unless exemptions apply). 

As a consequence of the number of varying factors that can affect the fee, the fee structure for each piece of work is agreed individually. In every case, the quotation will clearly set out our proposed fees so that they can be readily understood. All fees are fully transparent. To that end, on occasions there will be additional costs such as travel, waiting and hotel expenses. Where such costs are likely these will be identified and discussed with the client at the quotation stage. Moreover sometimes, further additional costs may arise as a case progresses, for example because of the service of further evidence in a case which it increases its length and/or complexity. We will endeavour to ensure that within the quote and subsequent agreement for the provision of services between the barrister and client, provision is made for any such eventuality

No chargeable work will be commenced by a barrister until fees are agreed in writing and both the barrister and client are satisfied that the fee structure is understood. 

Members of Chambers are also willing to accept instructions from solicitors in cases where there is a public funding certificate. Given our principle practice areas we do not undertake conditional fee arrangements or similar.

D.  TIMESCALES  

The timescale for the provision of legal services may vary depending on factors such as barrister availability, the type and complexity of the case and the court’s availability to list a hearing. If the matter is time critical, it is important you make us aware at the outset of your enquiry as to any deadlines. 

The Clerks will keep clients updated regarding expected timescales, including changes in circumstances which are outside of Chambers control

E. CHAMBERS COMPLAINTS POLICY

All Members of Chambers and our administrative staff are committed to providing an exceptionally high standard of service. Our Chambers complaint procedure and policy can be downloaded via clicking here. 

Clients can complain to the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) if they are unhappy with their final response to their complaint, or if their complaint has not been dealt with in eight weeks. The LeO can be reached at the following address:  Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806,, Wolverhampton,.WV1 9WJ. Telephone number: 0300 555 0333 . Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk.

The Legal Ombudsman will generally look into your complaint if you are referring the complaint within six years of the problem happening or three years from when you found out about it (if it took place more than six years ago). You must also bring your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving the final response.

More information about the Legal Ombudsman is available on their website here.

Details of the decisions made by the Legal Ombudsman can be found here. This decision data shows legal service providers who received an ombudsman’s decision in the previous 12 months and whether or not the consumer was required to give a remedy.

F: PUBLIC ACCESS

It is now possible to seek expert legal advice and representation directly from barristers who have completed the Public Access Course without the need to instruct a solicitor. In suitable cases, public access can offer several benefits for members of the public, professionals and companies. Whether a member of Chambers is direct access registered or not is shown on their profile

It is important to note that not all cases are suitable for public access. Our clerks in consultation with a barrister will advise when it is in a clients’ best interest to use a solicitor. The Public Access guidance for lay clients is available on The Bar Standards Board Website and please refer to our dedicated Direct Access Page.

G: BARRISTERS REGISTER

All barrister at Church Court Chambers are regulated by the Bar Standards Board. You can search all barristers that are registered on the Bar Standards Board’s website on the following link which will show whether or not there is a practicing certificate in place and whether any disciplinary findings have been recorded against them.

https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/regulatory-requirements/the-barristers’-register/

 H: Standard Terms

Members of Church Court Chambers offer their services on the standard default terms issued by Bar Council which represents Barristers in England and Wales. These are known as the Standard Conditions of Contract for the Supply of Legal Services by Barristers to Authorised Persons 2012 (updated for the GDPR in 2018).