Unfair Dismissal - Solicitor Fees

Equaliser123

vaporate wrote: »

Paying for an hour is not a waste. Least you know where you stand.

Only a complete twonk wouldn't.

I sure as hell wouldnt pay thousands.

As for a better solution, there should be one by now. There should be a voluntary organisation like citizens advice, ACAS, except with at least legal professionals who are WILLING to give a few hours, whether legal trainees or not.

Not going to happen though when there are people to be milked.

No you won't know where you stand at all. Paying for an hour is a total absurd waste of money.

Why? Because solicitors have to "open a file". By that they have to carry out conflict searches. They have to carry out money laundering checks. They have to open a physical file and obtain approvals to act. All are ABSOLUTELY required. This takes time.

Before the lawyer even looks at the matter, 50% of the fee has been used up.

I'm saying this from the position of being a solicitor who had to go through all that crap when in private practice.

So, in my personal and professional opinion, only a complete "twonk" would pay for a bit of advice.

CAB - yeah I remember the guys at Law School who failed and ended up at a CAB. Maybe harsh, but also totally factual. Nobody chooses to spend their legal career at a CAB. Ultimately market forces work.

Equaliser123

SarEl wrote: »

Sorry, but I am going to take grave offense at that remark. There is such an organisation - and legal professionals give a great deal more than a "few hours". It is called the Bar Pro Bono Unit. And there is a similar charity for solicitors. Barristers, solicitors and other legal professionals give untold hours of free legal advice and representation through such organisations, as well as supporting organisations such as CAB by providing free advice sessions. The legal profession collectively give hundreds of £1,000's in free advice and representation - how dare you tar us with "milking people"? We have a living to make just like any other people, and many employees who depend on us for a living too. We are not charities, but we do a great deal of "charitable work", and there aren't many professional groups, with the exception of doctors and nurses, who do as much charitable work, or for so many. But we simply cannot contain the demand for these free services.

It is not our fault that legal aid was withdrawn - blame the Tories for that! Put the blame for the lack of legal representation squarely where it lies and do not blame lawyers for government policies which we bitterly opposed at the time and have sought to change ever since. If as many people had cared about the right to free legal aid as did about the poll tax, then we wouldn't be needing to have this conversation.

I do have to say that the pro bono organisations are excellent. If they can be found. SarEl speaks a lot of sense. Apart from the fact that the Tories can be blamed....Not seen too many changes from over a decade of Labour.

Caroline_a

I took my last company to court for unfair dismissal and non-payment of salary. I saw a solicitor for half an hour, and had a couple of phonecalls and emails with him. Apart from that I did all the work myself. It was a very simple case, and was settled the day before it went to court. I won 3 month's wages and it cost me around £800 of fees, which, to be honest, was a tremendous amount of money for very little. Would I do it again? yes probably, if only to be told that I was doing the right thing.

vaporate

SarEl wrote: »

Sorry, but I am going to take grave offense at that remark. There is such an organisation - and legal professionals give a great deal more than a "few hours". It is called the Bar Pro Bono Unit. And there is a similar charity for solicitors. Barristers, solicitors and other legal professionals give untold hours of free legal advice and representation through such organisations, as well as supporting organisations such as CAB by providing free advice sessions. The legal profession collectively give hundreds of £1,000's in free advice and representation - how dare you tar us with "milking people"? We have a living to make just like any other people, and many employees who depend on us for a living too. We are not charities, but we do a great deal of "charitable work", and there aren't many professional groups, with the exception of doctors and nurses, who do as much charitable work, or for so many. But we simply cannot contain the demand for these free services.

It is not our fault that legal aid was withdrawn - blame the Tories for that! Put the blame for the lack of legal representation squarely where it lies and do not blame lawyers for government policies which we bitterly opposed at the time and have sought to change ever since. If as many people had cared about the right to free legal aid as did about the poll tax, then we wouldn't be needing to have this conversation.

Behave yourself lol.

You call asking £250 per hour not milking?

vaporate

Equaliser123 wrote: »

No you won't know where you stand at all. Paying for an hour is a total absurd waste of money.

Why? Because solicitors have to "open a file". By that they have to carry out conflict searches. They have to carry out money laundering checks. They have to open a physical file and obtain approvals to act. All are ABSOLUTELY required. This takes time.

Before the lawyer even looks at the matter, 50% of the fee has been used up.

I'm saying this from the position of being a solicitor who had to go through all that crap when in private practice.

So, in my personal and professional opinion, only a complete "twonk" would pay for a bit of advice.

CAB - yeah I remember the guys at Law School who failed and ended up at a CAB. Maybe harsh, but also totally factual. Nobody chooses to spend their legal career at a CAB. Ultimately market forces work.

I was referring to contracts , whether accommodation contract, or unlawful dismissal to see how strong a case is.

Not 1 hour to know 'everything'. Just where you stand legally. To drop it or carry on.
I know because i got out of a contract once and paid extra for letters. Which was fine.

I will add here though that this particular legal professional saved my bacon, at a fair rate.

Unlawful dismissal is what my parents experienced and paid for 1 hour, at a milked rate I might add lol.

Basically you have rights...if you can afford it.

As for CAB, well their volunteers who offer basic advice.

Sometimes 'abit of advice' is all you need.

Equaliser123

I think you are coming across as a bit over the top on the "milked rate" front.

You pay for what you get. Paying for a top solicitor costs more - just like in any other market.

OP - you will get very, very little advice for 1 hour's fees. Not worth doing.

SarEl

vaporate wrote: »

Behave yourself lol.

You call asking £250 per hour not milking?

As a senior barrister, I charge a lot more than that. And since from that I pay for my chambers, my bills, legal executives, junior barristers, pupils, administrators, secretaries and PA's, investigators, and cleaners - and that is all before I go home and start paying bills again - I make no apologies for what I charge. I have worked very hard to get where I am (and still do work very hard - 60 and 70 hours a week routinely and no overtime pay- , and that is before coming on here and elsewhere to give people free advice) from a working class background, so I had no silver spoons to pawn for all the costs of qualifying. Why is it therefore my responsibility to work for free - and presumably the responsibility of all those whose wages I pay to do the same - because you cannot be bothered to take out trades union membership or legal insurance??? If I want whatever it is that you produce - am I entitled to have it for free because I did not save up to pay for it? If you invest in a car or a house, it is sensible to insure it against loss - what makes it not sensible to insure the thing that pays for what you have?

I do not consider it "funny" to have a go at other workers, whatever their profession or income levels, simply because they happen to have achieved a professional standing through their own hard work. It simply shows ignorance and bad manners. If you are such a great philanthrope - what is it that you do for free and voluntarily, instead of earning money that you are entitled to, because remember that every pro bono case we take on is during our working hours and therefore time that we cannot earn a living whilst still having all the bills to pay!

And to Equaliser123 - I quite agree that it was shameful that the Labour Party did not restore legal aid, but that does not change the fact that it was the Tories who cut it. But no doubt now that they are back in control, they will have seen the rror of their ways and restore it? No? Didn't think so.

Gothicfairy

Have you tried the legal advice centre or the community legal advice group etc > there are plenty of places that will give free advice if you qualify ( it normally seems to depend on how much you earned in the month of getting in touch with them)

vaporate

SarEl wrote: »

As a senior barrister, I charge a lot more than that. And since from that I pay for my chambers, my bills, legal executives, junior barristers, pupils, administrators, secretaries and PA's, investigators, and cleaners - and that is all before I go home and start paying bills again - I make no apologies for what I charge. I have worked very hard to get where I am (and still do work very hard - 60 and 70 hours a week routinely and no overtime pay- , and that is before coming on here and elsewhere to give people free advice) from a working class background, so I had no silver spoons to pawn for all the costs of qualifying. Why is it therefore my responsibility to work for free - and presumably the responsibility of all those whose wages I pay to do the same - because you cannot be bothered to take out trades union membership or legal insurance??? If I want whatever it is that you produce - am I entitled to have it for free because I did not save up to pay for it? If you invest in a car or a house, it is sensible to insure it against loss - what makes it not sensible to insure the thing that pays for what you have?

I do not consider it "funny" to have a go at other workers, whatever their profession or income levels, simply because they happen to have achieved a professional standing through their own hard work. It simply shows ignorance and bad manners. If you are such a great philanthrope - what is it that you do for free and voluntarily, instead of earning money that you are entitled to, because remember that every pro bono case we take on is during our working hours and therefore time that we cannot earn a living whilst still having all the bills to pay!

And to Equaliser123 - I quite agree that it was shameful that the Labour Party did not restore legal aid, but that does not change the fact that it was the Tories who cut it. But no doubt now that they are back in control, they will have seen the rror of their ways and restore it? No? Didn't think so.

Big deal.

Rubbish.

Uncertain

vaporate wrote: »

Big deal.

Rubbish.

What a helpful, well argued and considered response! :mad:

I must admit I could argue both ways on the "pro bono" question. It is a bit like a theatre giving a discount on tickets to the unemployed or a private school charging less or no fees if the parents are on a low income. It means that those that do pay are paying more than the true cost of the service.

If you have just slightly too much money to qualify for the discount then it seems like an additional form of income tax. After all, if everybody paid the same then the school or theatre could charge less and still achieve the same income.

Most things (and particularly "professional" services) seem expensive when you are buying them. I'm sure most of my clients thought that when they got my bill. However, I knew that it was what it cost to yield an adequate bottom line and a respectable salary consistent with my training and expertise.

Equally I'm a bit uneasy about the "everybody should have insurance / union membership argument". I've taken my car to a body shop a couple of times only to be asked "Is this an insurance job mate"? It is amazing how much less it costs if it is not!!