Our Fees

The services specified in the regulations which are applicable to the areas of law practised by this firm relate to the provision of advice and representation at the Magistrates Courtin relation to summary only road traffic offences dealt with at a single hearing. A summary only offence is an offence which can only be dealt with at a Magistrates Court.

The offences to which this guidance applies can be found under Part I of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and s.89 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. It should be noted that not all of the offences set out in Part I of the Road Traffic Act 1988 are summary only offences.

We will set out below the offences which we most commonly encounter which can only be dealt with summarily. For further information on whether a specific offence is a summary only offence please refer to Schedule 2 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, which can be accessed via this link:-

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/53/schedule/2

The level of cost involved will be dependent on whether you choose to instruct a solicitor to represent you in this matter on the basis that time is charged at an hourly rate or whether you agree to instruct the firm on the basis that a fixed fee will be applicable.

The process of meeting with your solicitor in advance of the hearing and receiving the above service prior to you attending Court is likely to take approximately 2 hours.

However, it is never possible to predict how long a solicitor is likely to be required to be at Court to deal with your case.

If you choose to meet with your solicitor at an appointment in advance of the first hearing then the cost of providing this service, and representation at Court at the first hearing of the case, is likely to amount to between £800 and £1200 plus VAT.

The cost of instructing a solicitor to represent you at Court at the first hearing of the case without an appointment in advance is likely to amount to between £600 and £1000 plus VAT.

We also offer an ‘advice only service’ where we will consider the paperwork that you have received from the police or court and meet you to take your instructions. We will then confirm our advice in writing. This service will cost £500 plus VAT but will not include representation at Court.

You should be aware that all of the above costs do not include any work that might be involved in taking statements from witnesses or instructing an expert to prepare a report. These fee estimates are not applicable to those cases where “exceptional hardship” or “special reasons” are advanced.

If you instruct the solicitor on the basis of an hourly rate then the rate at which you will be charged is set out below: –

Senior Partners & Senior Barristers – £400 per hour plus VAT

Solicitors, Barristers & Legal Executives – £300 per hour plus VAT

Trainees, Paralegals, Caseworkers & other Fee Earners – £200 per hour plus VAT

Please note that the fee estimates applicable only relate to those cases where the Court at which you are due to appear is located within a 20-mile radius of the office at which the solicitor that you choose to instruct is based. We will provide a quote on a case-by-case basis where travel to court beyond 20 miles is applicable.

You will also be liable to meet the cost of any disbursements incurred by that solicitor travelling to Court to represent you – Mileage is charged at 45p per mile and parking is charged at cost. Any other disbursements reasonably incurred, and agreed with you in advance, in preparing your case for that hearing will also be chargeable. These may include items such as medical reports, expert reports and Barristers fees.

Our fee estimates do not apply to cases where the hearing listed is either a “special reasons” hearing, a Trial or a hearing where you wish to advance an “exceptional hardship” hardship to avoid disqualification under the “totting up” provisions or any motoring case that is being prosecuted in the Crown Court.