HOW CAN YOUR BARRISTER HELP YOU AS A LITIGANT IN PERSON
Standard Fixed Fee
Family Court Barrister Fee
Case Preparation & Representation at Hearing
Important Notice to the litigant in person instructing the barrister
Litigants in person responsibilities and duties apply throughout the life of their case. You are deemed to be conducting litigation on your own behalf, hence the title of a ‘litigant in person’ (one without a solicitor acting on their behalf); in short, you will carry out the work, similar to that of a solicitor and it is assumed that you are competent in case preparation, complying with the orders/directions of the court and representing yourself in court.
As a Litigant in Person, you remain throughout the life of the case from start to finish, responsible for complying with ALL of the orders and directions of the court. It is contempt of court to fail to comply with the Order and Directions of the Court and if found guilty of failing to comply, without good reason you may receive a term of imprisonment and/or a fine.
Further, should you fail to comply with the Order and Directions of the Court in timely manner, failure to do so may have consequences which are detrimental to your case, affect the outcome sought including costs against you.
Family Court Barrister is there help and guide you as a Litigant in Person and working together, our aim is to help you navigate through the court and case management process, to ensure that you have the best legal advice and guidance from start to finish, to help you successfully manage and present your best case for the most favourable outcome for you.
Litigants in person are referred to the FAQs Direct Public Access Guidance and other information on our website.
FIXED FEE FOR STANDARD FAMILY COURT CASE: PREPRARATION AND REPRESENATION AT HEARING
** Our barrister reserves the right to refuse instructions from litigants in person, where she deems the work is unsuitable for direct public access work with Family Court Barrister.
Family Court Barrister Fixed Fee Apply Throughout England & Wales.
Representation at Court Hearing fee below apply on to the London and South East.
First Appointment Hearing
Case preparation and legal advice Fixed Fee Available
Representation & Case preparation Fixed Fee Available
First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment
Case preparation and legal advice Fixed Fee Available
Representation & Case preparation Fixed Fee Available
Dispute Resolution Hearing
Case preparation and legal advice Fixed Fee Available
Representation & Case preparation Fixed Fee Available
Final Hearing CAO
Case preparation Fixed Fee Available
Representation & Case preparation Fixed Fee Available
Fact Finding Hearing
Case preparation and legal advice Fixed Fee Available
Representation & Case preparation Fixed Fee Available
Non Molestation Order
Case preparation and legal advice Fixed Fee Available
Representation & Case preparation Fixed Fee Available
Non Molestation Order – Final Hearing
Case preparation and legal advice Fixed Fee Available
Representation & Case preparation Fixed Fee Available
Occupation Order
Case preparation and legal advice Fixed Fee Available
Representation & Case preparation Fixed Fee Available
Occupation Order Final Hearing
Case preparation and legal advice Fixed Fee Available
Representation & Case preparation Fixed Fee Available
Enforcement Application
Case preparation and legal advice Fixed Fee Available
Representation & Case preparation Fixed Fee Available
How to instruct a Family Court Barrister
The Process
- Once a fee has been quoted, a telephone conference will be arranged for you and your barrister. This is a very important opportunity for you to speak with the barrister, to discuss your case and needs and she can advise on your suitability for direct public access.
- The barrister will provide a summary of matters discussed during the telephone conference; outline your instructions, matters discussed as to the work you want her to do and the barrister’s advice on the next step by email correspondence.
- If you are suitable for direct public access and the barrister can carry out the work within the time frame, you will be provided with details for ‘DROP BOX’ for you to send ALL of your documents.
- Upon receipt of the documents in ‘DROP BOX’, your barrister will read the documents and provide you with a FIXED FEE for the work to be carried out.
- You will receive a contract for the work to be carried out as outlined in the CLIENT CARE LETTER WITH A FIXED FEE’.
- Once you return the SIGNED CLIENT CARE LETTER by email, and have paid the FIXED FEE by Bank Transfer and the funds are cleared, your barrister will contact you by email for the work to start.
Client Care Letter With A FIXED FEE Process
- Your barrister can only provide you with a fee for the work to be carried out as outlined in the CLIENT CARE LETTER and a FIXED FEE for the barrister to complete that work from start to finish.
- Once you get a fixed fee for the work to be carried out, there are no further fee for you to pay unless there are additional documents relating to further work (other applications) upon which you need legal advice – this will be deemed a separate matter and a further Client Care Letter with a Fixed Fee will be provided.
- You are strongly advised to ensure that you provide ALL of your case documents at the outset using the ‘DROP BOX’ facility, to enable the barrister to provide the appropriate fixed fee for all the work to be carried out and reduce the need for further fee from you.
- Your barrister will need to fully consider ALL of your papers sent by you in the drop box, this includes case preparation, legal advice and the time involved in doing the work together with further telephone conference before providing you with a Client Care Letter with a Fixed Fee.
- For cancellation/refund policy, please refer to the Client Care Letter.
Duties of Litigant in Person (work not carried out by the barrister)
- Comply with orders and directions of the court
- Ensure timely response and communication with the other party/solicitors/court
- Draft of applications and cross application
- Provide court papers in a timely fashion
- Preparation of court bundle including pagination
- Draft Index to bundle
- Draft Chronology
- Draft witness statements
- Draft position statements
- Draft application for adjournment
- Draft expert instructions
- File and serve documents on the court and other parties
- Provide copies of the court bundle
- Provide electronic/hardcopies of any documents
Duties of Family Court Barrister – Legal Advice For Case Preparation.
- Conference with client to obtain instructions and provide legal advice
- Consideration and advice on court papers
- Advice on applications and cross applications
- Advice on court orders (directions) and deadlines
- Advice on extensions to court directions/orders
- Advice on documents in a court bundle
- Advice on bundle preparation including pagination, index and chronology
- Advice on the relevant law in the proceedings
- Advice on trial issues
- Advice on merits
- Advice on evidence
- Advice on seeking disclosure e.g police, recordings, medical
- Advice on moving case to higher court
- Advice on adjournments
- Advice on court process
- Advice on agreements between the parties
- Advice on bundle preparation including pagination, index and chronology
- Advice on expert report e.g. medical reports, police, psychologists
- Advice on Cafcass/Children service reports
- Advice on drafting witness statements
- Advice on drafting position statements
- Advice on drafting expert instructions and response
- Advice on drafting response to evidence & reports
- Advice on drafting Scott Schedules
- Advice on drafting witness statement for fact-finding hearing
- Advice on drafting response to witness statement for fact-finding hearing
- Conference Calls to obtain instructions and provide legal advice
- Email correspondence e.g. advice on drafting, evidence and witness statements, position statement
Duties of the Barrister – Representation At Hearing
- Consideration and legal advice of the court bundle
- Advise on the court orders
- Advise on the proceedings
- Advise on the issues in the proceedings
- Advise on the relevant law and procedure
- Advise on merits of the case
- Advise on the evidence in the bundle
- Advise on applications in court
- Case Conference with client (prior/in court)
- Make oral applications in court
- Prepare legal arguments e.g. notes of hearing, skeleton argument
- Preparation of cross-examination
- Open/Closing speech
- Cross examine witnesses
- Draft court orders
- Negotiation in court
- Conduct hearing on behalf of the client
- Advise on costs
- Make application for costs (where appropriate)
- Advise on any grounds of appeal
- Provide a record of hearing