Fee Includes:
a. Providing legal advice on the charge against you pre-court summons (or postal requisition)
b. Reviewing the prosecution’s initial disclosure of evidence against you and advising you on the appropriate plea
c. Explaining the court procedure to you
d. Drafting character references on your behalf to come from your friends and family (max. 3).
e. Providing advice on likely sentence
f. Preparing a bundle of documents to support your case
g. Taking a proof of evidence from you (ie your version of events and personal circumstances)
h. Taking proofs of any third party who may support your case (such as your employer or a family member)
i. Conference with you pre-court hearing to discuss your mitigation, court procedure and tactics at court
j. Representing you at the Magistrates Court for your first hearing entering your plea and making mitigation submissions on your behalf.
Pricing:
Fixed Fee of £1,750 plus VAT (£2,100 inc. VAT)
What does this fee assume/exclude:
- That a guilty plea has been or will be entered to the charge and you have a date for your first court hearing.
- The prosecution, police, HMCTS (Court service) and client will deal with matters expeditiously.
- The matter can be dealt with in one attendance at the Magistrates Court, matters adjourned for pre-sentence reports with probation or for additional disclosure to be served will incur a further charge of £500 + VAT (£600) for each additional attendance required at court
- If material is disclosed before or at the first hearing which indicates that a not guilty plea is appropriate the matter will not be concluded at first appearance.
- That you will communicate with us when asked to and provide full instructions when required.
If any of these key assumptions are incorrect or change over time, we will need to provide you with a revised scope of work, revised timetable and revised fee.
Despite our efforts to ensure that our role is clear, clients sometimes make incorrect assumptions about what we are and are not going to do for them. To help avoid any such misunderstanding, we bring to your attention the fact that that we are not providing you with any advice on any of the following:
- Attendance at the police station
- Advice on whether exceptional hardship applies to your case
- Attendance at appointments with the probation service
- Attendance after court for the purpose of fines enforcement
- Attendance at court when produced in custody following a failure to appear on bail or response to a summons
- Any appeals against sentence and/or conviction
- Attending on or dealing with the press
- Booking or advising on a speed awareness course
- Taking proofs of evidence from more than 3 witnesses
- Drafting any documentation (including a notice of appeal) in relation to an appeal to the Crown Court
- Representation at the Crown Court.
If applicable, we will price these and any other requirements separately for you.
When necessary, we will, in consultation with you obtain such additional advice as is required from appropriately qualified third parties. Experts fees are not included in this fixed fee.
Our Team
Nils O’Donoghue – Partner and Solicitor
Based: Huddersfield Office.
Nils joined Chadwick Lawrence in May 2011, becoming an Associate with the firm in October 2015 and a Partner in October 2017. Nils has 8 years PQE experience. Nils helps businesses and individuals with their regulatory and compliance issues both on a contentious and non-contentious basis.
Nils has an enviable success rate in motoring law matters and regularly acts for individuals who find themselves being prosecuted by the Police for speeding, drink driving and other various motoring law offences.
Nils also advises individuals who are being interviewed under caution by the Police and other prosecuting bodies and also has experience of advising both individuals and businesses who are being investigated or prosecuted by Trading Standards, the CQC, the FCA, HM Revenue and Customs, Local Authorities and The Health and Safety Executive, import and export issues.
Harvey Blake – Solicitor
Based: Huddersfield Office
Harvey joined Chadwick Lawrence as a Trainee Solicitor in June 2018 and qualified as a Solicitor with the firm in July 2020. He is one of the founding members of our regulatory and crime department.
Harvey advises clients on all aspects of motoring law including speeding, drink driving offences and those wishing to put forward arguments of exceptional hardship. Harvey also advises and has full conduct of files whereby clients are putting forward arguments of special reasons in respect of their driving licences.
