The profiles of our members of Chambers describe their practice in detail and a list of all our practice areas is to be found on our main page of this website. Our commonly undertaken areas of work are advisory and advocacy.
Fees
Our pricing models are either by an agreed hourly rate, a fixed fee or an agreed brief fee and refreshers. The brief fee model is a fixed fee for preparation for a hearing and the first day of trial. Thereafter a refresher, or a fixed daily fee, may be agreed. Fees will include VAT, where applicable.
Timescales
When consulted about a prospective matter, our members will discuss the factors which will be taken into account in respect of an agreement on the pricing model appropriate for a case. These may include the timescale of the provision of legal services, the complexity of the case, the availability of the client, any relevant third parties and the barrister. Other factors will include the amount of papers for review, the need for additional information or documents, the urgency of the matter and court waiting times.
Our barristers, where appropriate, will agree a timescale for the delivery of services. Timescales for a
case may vary depending on factors, which include: a barrister’s or client’s availability; the type and
complexity of the case; the volume of documents to review; the other side’s approach; the need for
additional information or documents and court waiting times.
PUBLIC ACCESS
Public Access is a method of engaging barristers directly, without needing to use a solicitor to instruct a barrister, as was traditionally the case. Julian Malins K.C., Linda Hudson and Elirjada Belegu are licensed to take instructions on a public access basis. We accept instructions from the UK, the Bahamas and other jurisdictions in respect of contentious and non-contentious matters. We are equipped to carry out preparatory work up to and including trial. We also provide legal advice re business set up in the United Kingdom and the impact of legislative changes on businesses. Guidance If you are a member of the public, the following link to the Bar Standards Board’s Public Access Guidance for Lay Clients will help you to understand how the Public Access scheme works, and explains how you can use it to instruct barristers directly:
Key Stages
Key stages in in your case may include:
- An initial meeting with your barrister to discuss your case when the details will be explored and an overall strategy decided upon. This may be a face to face meeting, possibly in chambers or may be over video or by telephone.
- It may be appropriate for your barrister to provide written advice on your dispute or claim.
- Case preparation, including further meetings with you and assistance with drafting of any court documents, depending on the nature of the engagement.
- Case Management Hearings (CMH), Preliminary Hearings (PH), Pre-Trial Reviews (PTR), directions appointments, or other interim hearings. Which of these will be taking place and their purpose and structure will be explained at an early stage.
- First day of Final Hearing or Trial. In some cases, there will be a longer court set timetable involving several days of trial.
- Court appearances per day, after the first day of the Final Hearing or Trial.
- Appeals can take place after the court has made a decision either at an early hearing or at the end of a trial. The decision to appeal or respond to an appeal will be yours after you have had the benefit of advice.
It may be that some of these stages have taken place before you choose to instruct a barrister from Malins Chambers. Given full access to the case papers including court orders, it is anticipated that your barrister will be able to assist you with the upcoming stages.
Further information on Employment work Fee Structures
Our barristers can advise both employees and employers on unfair dismissal and wrongful dismissal claims. Our barristers can also represent both employees and employers at the Employment Tribunal. All costs will be agreed in writing prior to commencement of work by the barrister. The majority of barristers are VAT registered which means the HMRC requires them to charge VAT other than in certain exceptional circumstances. Fees We charge fixed fees in relation to advices and hearings, whereas hourly rates are charged in respect of other trial preparatory work. Below we provide estimates based on the ranges of fixed fees for barristers at Malins Chambers. Fees do not include VAT (where applicable). 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, which is based on a 2 day hearing in the Employment Tribunal.
Indicative fees
Our pricing models include:
- Brief fee and refresher: A brief fee is a fixed fee, which covers the preparation for a trial and the first day of the trial. A refresher is a fixed fee for each subsequent day of the trial, including any ongoing preparation.
- Fixed fee: You will be asked to pay a set sum for a set piece of work. Whilst that sum will be agreed with reference to factors such as the complexity of the work and the likely length of time for completion, the price will be the same irrespective of how long it will take.
- Hourly rate: This is where the amount you pay will be determined by the length of time that the barrister spends completing the work he or she is instructed to do.
The hourly rates charged by barristers vary according to the seniority and experience of each barrister as well as the level of the court which will hear the case and the complexity of the case. Below is a rough guide for conferences, court work and preparation in the Employment Tribunal, which is equally relevant to County Court, Family Court and Magistrates’ Court work. A King’s Counsel may charge up to £500 per hour. The more senior the court the higher the rate charged and this can be a multiple of the above rate for the High Court and a further multiple for the Court of Appeal and more for the Supreme Court. A highly complex case may be charged at a higher level across all bands of experience and courts. Other rates may be agreed as a proportion of these fees for travelling and waiting time but this will have to be agreed at the start of the case. If notice of a hearing being adjourned is received no less than a week before it is due some of the above fees may be discounted.
The factors, which may influence the price that you are quoted include: (i) the complexity of the work, which may mean that the barrister will have to spend longer on your case to ensure that you have the service you deserve; (ii) the timing of the instruction where work may need to be completed very late in the evenings, over the weekends or during holidays; (iii) the location of the hearing, which may mean the barrister spending much of the working day travelling, or even to arrange overnight accommodation; (iv) the experience of the barrister; a more experienced barrister will be more expensive than a more junior one; (v) previous work on the same case wherein a barrister who is already familiar with your case may be able to offer a lower than usual quote; and (vi) the value of the case may mean that a higher value case may require special attention.
All fees and the basis for any changes must be agreed before the Terms and Conditions letter is sent out as they will be set out in detail there. Please note that fees and disbursements charged will usually include Value Added Tax (VAT) at the current rate, unless VAT is not chargeable.
| Stage of case | Ranges of fixed fees (estimates) | ||
| Written advice on your claim of case | £500 – £2,500 plus VAT | ||
| First day’s tribunal appearance in London | £1,500 – £5,000 plus VAT | ||
| Tribunal appearances per day, after the first day | £500 – £3,000 plus VAT | ||
| Remedy hearing in London (to decide compensation) | £1,500 – £3,000 plus VAT | ||
| Stage of case | Ranges of hourly rates (estimates) | ||
| Preparation of case, including conferences with you and assistance with drafting of any tribunal documents | £200 – £350 plus VAT, approximately 15 hours | ||
Contact Us All information is correct as of February 2020, but fees are estimates only. For the most accurate fixed fee estimate, please contact Chambers on +447388847975 (or e-mail info@malinschambers.com).
Instructing Chambers
For further information regarding instructing Chambers, please contact Julian Malins K.C. at the first instance