Getting paid — and being clear with clients about money — is a daily part of practice, and it is where complaints most often arise. A solicitor who charges fairly, keeps the client informed and delivers a valid bill is on solid ground; one who doesn't can lose fees, face the Legal Ombudsman, or breach conduct rules. This lesson takes you through the whole life of costs, from the first conversation about charging to a disputed bill.
Here's what we'll cover:
- Costs Basics and Methods of Charging — what 'costs' means, disbursements, the contentious/non-contentious divide, and the ways solicitors can charge.
- Conditional Fee and Damages-Based Agreements — how 'no win, no fee' CFAs and DBAs work, their formalities, and the caps that apply.
- Costs Information Duties — what you must tell the client at the outset and the continuing duty to keep them updated.
- Consumer Protection, Money on Account and Interest — cancellation rights, requiring sums on account, and charging interest on unpaid bills.
- Bills, Business Agreements and Recovery — valid bills, business agreements, interim statute bills, and suing for fees.
- Challenging a Bill — how clients dispute a bill through court assessment or the Legal Ombudsman, and the consequences for the firm.