Public Access
Individuals and businesses can now come directly to an authorised barrister without having to involve anyone else (e.g. a solicitor). This way of working is often referred to as “Public or Direct Access.”
At 9 Stone Buildings we have a number of specialist Barristers who are willing to assist you on this basis and undertake the following work:
- Draft documents.
- Advise on legal issues.
- Represent you in court proceedings, public inquiries and other tribunals.
- Negotiate on your behalf and represent you in mediation and arbitrations.
In some circumstances, there may still be limitations on the type of work an authorised public access barrister can undertake. On these occasions, you may be advised to instruct a solicitor to better assist you.
Information regarding the public access scheme can be found in the Bar Standard Board’s Guidance for Lay Clients, which is available from their website here.
All members of 9 Stone Buildings are regulated by the Bar Standard Board. You can search the Barrister Register on the Bar Standards Board website here.
When instructing a Barrister directly, we will provide a client care engagement letter. This letter sets out the terms by which the Barrister can act for you on this basis and forms a contract between you and the Barrister.
It is also necessary for us to hold some “know your client” identification on file. Details regarding how we use this information can be found in our privacy policy here.
All barristers at 9 Stone Buildings maintains their own professional indemnity insurance through the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund (BMIF). Levels of cover will vary depending upon they work they undertake. Policy details may be found in the Regulatory Information section of barristers’ cv pages.
Fees
Public access Barristers at 9 Stone Buildings undertake work on an agreed fee basis, either by way of a fixed hourly rate or fixed fee. This may be for advising, orally and/or in writing, , drafting documents or an appearance in Court, Tribunals or at Mediations or a combination of these items of work. For Court or Tribunal hearings it would be usual to charge a fixed fee comprising of a Brief Fee, which would usually cover all pre-hearing preparation and the hearing if one day or less. For hearings which are estimated to last more than one day, a Refresher Fee will be charged for each subsequent day beyond the first day.
As an example, the current hourly rates for public access Barristers at 9 Stone Buildings ranges from £250 – £500 per hour plus VAT (Value Added Tax), depending on the Barrister required. Brief and Refresher fees would normally be computed at the relevant hourly rate, however this may vary taking into account the requirements of the individual case, such as the necessary preparation, complexity of the issues, diary availability and seniority and expertise. In all cases fee quotations will be provided in writing.
We appreciate that not all cases are the same, so please do contact one of the Clerks to discuss your individual requirements. The Clerks will be happy to discuss any matters regarding estimated or incurred fees for legal services provided by Barristers at 9 Stone Buildings.
To avoid the risk of unexpected cost fluctuations, please speak to a Clerks or the Barrister instructed, if the nature of the matter changes.
Barristers at 9 Stone Buildings are registered for VAT, which will be added where applicable.
Expenses may also be incurred by Barristers to cover reasonable out of pocket costs during their instruction. This might be for travel and accommodation, courier costs or large-scale production of printed documentation. Should this be the case it will be made clear at the outset or if incurred during the period of the case, at the time when it is known an expense will be incurred.
Timescales
There are a number of factors which may influence the timescales of work in a case, such as Barrister availability, the type of legal matter and its complexity, as well as the approach taken by the other side, court actions, court availability and waiting times. Any case with a hearing or time driven deadline would be treated with the urgency required. Straightforward work would aim to be turned around within 14-21 days. The client would be informed of any material delay
Please contact the Clerk to discuss your individual requirements further on 020 7404 5055 or email: clerks@9stonebuildings.com.