At Stevens we have a policy of complete openness about fees. We always advise our clients what the relevant hourly rates will be. We also try to give an estimate of the total likely costs at the outset and revise this as the matter goes on. If you have any questions about costs, you can ask at any time.
All fees referred to below are subject to Value Added Tax at the rate currently applicable. Our VAT registration number is 386053147.
We run three free surgeries at our Haverhill office. Civil and Employment problems are covered between 10am to 11am once a fortnight on a Monday morning. Family problems including divorce, finances and child related issues are covered in our Family surgery where there are 4 appointments available per week. Wills and Probate matters where there are 4 appointments available per week.
We run three surgeries at our Saffron Walden office. Civil and Employment problems are covered between 10am to 11am once a month on a Friday morning. Family problems are covered between 9:30am to 11am every Tuesday. Wills and Probate matters are covered within 4 appointments per week.
We do ask that you book in advance for our surgery appointments. They are often booked weeks in advance so early booking is advisable. We also ask that if you are unable to make your appointment for any reason, then please advise us as soon as possible so that the appointment can be offered to another client.
Surgery appointments last up to 20 minutes. The appointment will give you an opportunity to meet one of our lawyers and we can give you general advice on procedure, eligibility for legal aid and the options available to take the matter further. We cannot however provide detailed advice on your specific circumstances. If therefore you know you will need detailed advice, we would suggest that you book a full one hour paying appointment or a half hour fixed fee appointment.
Our surgery appointments are often in high demand and you may require urgent assistance, if this is the case you may wish to consider booking a 30 minute fixed fee appointment. We have a highly competitive fee of £50.00 plus VAT payable at the appointment.
There are some types of work (e.g.accident and employment claims) where we can sometimes represent you on a "conditional" or "contingency" fee basis. You will still have to pay for out of pocket expenses such as Court fees and Medical Reports and you will also be advised to take out a policy of insurance against the risk of an order being made that you pay your opponent's costs. The remainder of your legal fees will only be charged if you win. This is of course a risky business for us, so we carry out a risk assessment at the start to establish whether your case is suitable. If you do win the case, we are entitled to charge not only the "basic fee" at our usual hourly rates but also a "success" fee. If we take on your case on this basis, there will be many issues to consider including various types of insurance. Our solicitors and lawyers are trained to advise fully on all the options available and to work out the best package for you. An initial assessment appointment of up to 30 minutes is available free of charge for any personal injury matter.
If you consult us about a problem at work, we may be willing to carry out work for you at a discount subject to your financial circumstances. Please ask.
Some types of work such as conveyancing, simple wills and straight-forward divorces are charged at a fixed rate. This presents considerable advantages since you know what the matter is going to cost from the outset and can budget accordingly. Part of the fee may be payable at the beginning and the balance can be spread on a monthly basis or paid as a lump sum at the end.
For those who are not eligible for legal aid but who are on a low income in particular for Family matters we offer a reduced fee scheme. We can assess you for this at the very beginning of your first appointment and no charge will be made for the assessment. Our reduced fee scheme is based on the Legal Services Commission means test for legal aid, and if you wish to be assessed we shall carry out the legal aid means test first and then, if you are not eligible for legal aid, we shall check if you are eligible for reduced fees. If you wish to be assessed, please make sure you bring with you to your first appointment, all your pay slips for the last one month period together with your most recent bank and savings account statements and evidence of your housing expenditure.
We know our rates are highly competitive.
We charge these rates because they are the kind of figures which our local courts consider to be reasonable. There are many solicitors who charge more. The rates charged depend on the type of work being carried out.