No win no fee charges

[Unregistered]

“Solicitors to take steps to protect themselves”

Surely solicitors should advise their client of what the fees will be in any case up front and especially on a so call ‘no win. no fee’ bases. Why should a lay person know that this has a different meaning. To me ‘no win, no fee’ is exactly what it says, therefore, it not common knowledge that peoples should know that they will be liable for the other sides costs should he/she losses the case.

I feel that it is a bit like auctioneers, they will give the highest value on a property get it on their books. A solicitor who wants a case will not fully advise his/her client of the other side costs.

In all countries solicitors do a bit of charity work but are handsomely compensated for it by other work that solicitors do such as conveyancing.

Also taking on pro-bono work give a solicitors the change of gaining experience and knowledge that might come his/her way during normal working hours.

 

[RainyDay]

I also have a well educated and senior business manger client who sued his former employer for salary not paid to him. His employer has now gone bust just before we are about to obtain judgement. Now this client insists that he does not wish to bring the case to a conclusion because he has no chance of recovering the money owed to him. He also does not feel that he should pay me for his legal costs and outlays incurred to date because he "thought" he had a 'no-win, no-fee' arrangement. I have advised him that he didn't and that I can still win his action for him. He won't pay and feels that it was up to me to take the risk that his opponent would become insolvent and wouldn't be able to honour any judgement obtained.

Much of the solicitor knocking that I read on this site has it's roots in myth, prejudice and ignorance. There will always be the bad apple and mistakes will also occur, as in any walk of life, but lawyers tend to take an unjust amount of criticism without any balancing views being expressed.

I agree with the general thrust of your comments about cheap jibes. Just so I fully understand your comments, can you clarify if those clients who are disputing the fees would have been issued with a written notification of estimated fees up-front?

 

[tobo]

In respect of those proceedings issued there would have been either an estimate of fees or a fixed price communicated to the client. In respect of the example of the business manager there wasn't, but that was because his wife was an acquiantance of my wife and he came to me at home in an urgent scenario. He got Rolls Royce treatment and I was dealing with his case on an urgent basis. His first few emails from me were sent from home at 01.30 in the morning. Despite the connection and my sterling efforts he does not want to pay me. It is very difficult to always spend time spelling out the detail but when you don't there are always those with an eye for the main chance who will try to take advantage!