Guidance on Our Charges
We believe it is the quality of our service that sets us apart, but we appreciate it is also important for you to have clear information on our charges.
As you can see from this website, our firm carries out many different types of work. Some work can be charged on a fixed fee basis. Examples of this will include residential property purchases and sales, simple wills, powers of attorney, notarising documents, simplified divorces (or dissolution of civil partnerships), undefended non-simplified divorces (or dissolution of civil partnerships), sequestration petitions, undefended adoption petitions, and undefended residence actions.
You will find more information on the fixed fees charged here.
However, there are many areas of work where a fixed fee is not practical. This is because, at the outset, neither you nor we will know how much work will be required to bring the matter to a satisfactory conclusion. The very nature of legal matters often gives rise to unforeseen complexities and additional work. Examples of this would include the negotiation of a separation agreement, pre-nuptial agreements, any type of defended court action (including divorces and most civil disputes) and the administration of a deceased person’s estate.
Where we cannot offer a fixed fee, you will find more information on the non-fixed fees charged here.
In some areas where we cannot offer a fixed fee for the whole transaction, we can offer a fixed fee for an initial meeting. This will include family law and employment law matters. You will find more information on the fixed fee initial meetings here.
Guidance on Our Non-Fixed Fee Charges
Depending on the nature and complexity of your legal matter, the legal work undertaken by us may be completed by one or several members of our legal team. Below we have set out the hourly charging rates for each of our fee earners where we cannot offer a fixed fee: -
Fee inclusive of VAT
Fee exclusive of VAT
Partner
£384 per hour (£38.40 per unit)
£320 per hour (£32.00 per unit)
Senior Associate
Associate / Consultant
£342 per hour (£34.20 per unit)
£324 per hour (£32.40 per unit)
£285 per hour (£28.50 per unit)
£270 per hour (£27.00 per unit)
Senior Solicitor/
Assistant Solicitor
£306 per hour (£30.60 per unit)
£294 per hour (£29.40 per unit)
£255 per hour (£25.50 per unit)
£245 per hour (£24.50 per unit)
Trainee Solicitor / Accredited Paralegal
£252 per hour (£25.20 per unit)
£210 per hour (£21.00 per unit)
Paralegal
Other Staff
£216 per hour (£21.60 per unit)
£180 per hour (£18.00 per unit)
£180 per hour (£18.00 per unit)
£150 per hour (£15.00 per unit)
Please note that if the above prices exclude VAT, then VAT will be charged at the prevailing rate (currently 20%).
We also charge for letters and documents on the basis of a Unit charge as follows:-
Letters per page of 125 words or part thereof
1.25 Units
Framing formal deeds, court writs, figured accounts and contractual documents (per sheet of 250 words or part thereof)
5 Units
Framing other documents, including documents created from a pro-forma or style (per sheet of 250 words or part thereof)
3 Units
Revising documents is charged at half of the above
Framing and extending witness statements (per sheet of 250 words or part thereof)
1.25 units
A Unit is based on an hourly rate and there are 10 units per hour.
The number of hours spent on your case will be determined by the complexity and the unique circumstances of your case. We will discuss the likely cost of your case with you at our initial meeting. If additional costs arise due to unforeseen circumstances, we will discuss this with you at the earliest opportunity and we will advise you of any increase in cost that may arise.
The hourly rate does not include any outlays that may be required. These are variable depending on the nature of the case. We will discuss what these may be at our initial meeting.
We also make a charge of £35 plus VAT to help meet the cost to us of various regulatory matters that we are obliged to deal with by law e.g. the need to formally identify all clients to comply with the government’s money laundering rules, as well as contributing to the costs of postage. This is only charged once for each transaction. In respect of the administration of deceased Executry estates, this charge is assessed by an independent Auditor at a rate not exceeding 5% of the fee rendered (before commissions are applied, if applicable) – see further the section below regarding the administration of deceased Executry Estates on a non-fixed fee basis.
Additional information is included in our standard terms and conditions of business, and you can read this here.
If at the end of a transaction you are unhappy with our fee, then you may ask for an independent assessment of that fee by an Auditor of Court and you will be responsible for the Taxation fee in the first instance. This process is known as “Taxation”. The Auditor of Court will fix a fair and reasonable fee in all of the circumstances and may fix a fee that is higher or lower than the original proposed fee. If it is lower, then we will reimburse you the costs of Taxation and reduce our fee. If, however, a higher fee is fixed or the original fee is confirmed as being fair and reasonable, then you will pay the cost of Taxation and we reserve the right to charge the higher fee.
Guidance on Our Fixed-Fee Charges
We recognise that clients wish to have certainty and transparency when it comes to legal costs. We can offer fixed fees for certain types of work. You will see the detailed information for the different types of fixed fee below.
There are terms and conditions that apply before we can carry out work for a fixed fee.
We ask that payment is made on conclusion of the work. Charges may apply if payment is by credit card.
As we have to comply with anti-money laundering regulations, we must have at the outset of the first meeting, one form of photo identification such as a current passport or photo driving licence and also one form of proof of your current home address such as your current year council tax demand, a receipted utility bill from the last three month period or a bank statement from the last three month period.
Unfortunately, if this information is not provided, then the work cannot proceed and we may charge for the work already done.
Other conditions are set out below for the individual types of work:
Deceased Executry Estates - Non-Fixed Fee
Divorce (simplified & non-simplified) & Other Family Law Matters (Residence Orders & Adoption Petitions)
Sale & Purchase of Residential Property
Wills & Powers of Attorney
Notarising Documents
Sequestration Petitions
Guidance on Our Fixed Fee Initial Meeting Charges
We recognise that clients wish to have certainty and transparency when it comes to legal costs. Our family law, employment and private client teams offer a fixed fee initial consultation for £300 (inclusive of VAT) to allow you to meet with us to discuss your needs.
There are terms and conditions that apply before we can meet with you under this scheme.
We ask that payment is made on conclusion of our meeting with you. Charges may apply if payment is by credit card.
As we have to comply with anti-money laundering regulations, we must have at the outset of the meeting, one form of photo identification such as a current passport or photo driving licence and also one form of proof of your current home address such as your current year council tax demand, a receipted utility bill from the last three month period or a bank statement from the last three month period. Unfortunately, if this information is not brought with you, then the meeting cannot proceed.
Family Law
Whether you are contemplating a separation, looking to begin divorce proceedings or you are experiencing difficulties with regard to contact with children or finances, this consultation will provide you with:
a one-hour meeting with a family law solicitor who will be able to give you initial advice on your circumstances and the options that may be open to you.
a follow-up letter, or email if preferred, that sets out the advice given at your consultation and options to consider to resolve matters
where appropriate and if requested by you, appointments with other people within Macnabs who may be able to be of assistance to you, eg our property department for the sale or purchase of property, etc
an estimate of likely costs to bring matters to a conclusion and details of payment options
Employment Law
On any employment law issue, our fixed fee meeting would include: -
a one-hour Initial meeting with you
Review of your documentation
Providing advice on legal position
Taking your instructions
Private Client
On any private client issue (e.g. inheritance dispute, Will dispute, Legal Rights advice, care cost or tax advice) our fixed fee meeting would include: -
a one-hour Initial meeting with you
review of your documentation
providing advice on legal position
taking your instructions
If you then instruct the firm’s private client team to take the matter forward, then a fixed fee can be agreed for the further work, if possible, failing which the initial fee for the meeting and advice will be credited to the final non-fixed fee calculated by the Independent Auditor of Court or Law Accountant.
