Direct Access

The benefits of instructing College Chambers directly include:

• The ability to consult directly with your barrister - This avoids the duplication of effort which often arises when solicitors are also instructed, thereby reducing the costs incurred. 
• Remain in control of what you spend - Fees are fixed in advance of items of work being undertaken (save for in exceptionally urgent circumstances). 
• Ownership of your case - You take responsibility for the running of your own case, often without the need of a solicitor at all. 
• Transparency - You can expect a professional and first-class service from College Chambers. Our aim is to make the process as straight forward as possible.

College Chambers have a wide range of barristers qualified to undertake direct access work, from junior barristers to senior barristers. 

The fee you will pay depends on the seniority of barrister and what the particulars of your case are. 

Our fees at College Chambers are transparent and always agreed upon in advance of any work commencing.  In direct access cases we ask the client to provide full instructions and details of their needs so that we can estimate and agree fees before any chargeable work is undertaken. The fixed agreed fee we offer is usually worked out on the basis of an hourly rate of the preparation time and the hearing and/or other work required.  Please be aware that costs will depend on a number of factors including the type of hearing, the type of work and also the amount of paperwork involved.

Fees will exclude VAT, however, the VAT element will be clearly shown in the client care letter.

Fees will be agreed in advance and paid for before a barrister will undertake the work.  

Our clerking team are happy to provide you with an initial quotation of costs before any instructions are made. 

Timescales for your case may vary depending on factor including the complexity of issue, how much you have agreed with the other party so far and our barristers’ availability and Court waiting times.

As a guide, in our experience typical timescales for the entire litigation process may be:

• Written advice on child arrangements dispute:  2-4 weeks where possible
• Court hearings for a child arrangements order: 3-9 months (not including appeals).
• Written advice on a family finance dispute: 2-4 weeks where possible.
• Court hearings for a financial remedy order tend: 6-18 months (not including appeals).
• Civil litigation: up to 2 years to completion (not including appeal). 
• Please be aware that some aspects of litigation will move more quickly. Some petitions such as winding up or bankruptcy can be heard within 8 weeks, depending on complexity. Urgent applications can also be arranged at very short notice.
• Employment matters: 4-6 months depending on complexity and the need for additional documents. More complex matters may take over than 1 year to resolve.
• Written advice on a grant of probate: 2-4 weeks where possible.
• Court proceedings for claims under the Inheritance Act: 6-18 months (not including appeals).

Many clients are now choosing to resolve matters via Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). College Chambers has been providing this service for many years and our barristers are highly experienced using this method. For more information please visit our alternative dispute resolution page.

Whilst we always want to be able to assist those in need of our services, it is important to acknowledge that not every case is suitable for a direct access instruction. Please fill in and submit the direct access enquiry form at the bottom of this page and we will let you know if your case is suitable for direct access. 

If your personal circumstances do not enable you to manage the day to day running of your case, or your matter requires the investigation and management skills of a solicitor, your case is not likely to be suitable for an instruction on a direct access basis. We would however still be able to act on your behalf via a solicitor or other agency authorised by the Bar Council to provide Licensed Access instructions to members of the Bar of England and Wales.

If you are unsure of which solicitor to instruct, we can assist in making some recommendations to you.

• Advising you or your business, either in conference or in writing. 
• Drafting formal court documents (called 'pleadings') setting out your case. 
• Drafting the terms of formal letters, such as notices of intended claims, instructions to experts and settlement offers.
• Advising you as to the evidence you will need in your case.
• Representing you in an arbitration, at court or in a tribunal.
• Attending formal meetings with you, such as joint settlement meetings and mediations.

• Engaging in correspondence for you or on your firm’s behalf (although we may be able to assist in drafting letters for you to send). 
• Taking responsibility for the management of court proceedings.
• Putting ourselves on the court record as being able to accept formal notices for you.
• Issuing court proceedings for you (although we can advise you as to how to do this yourself).
• Investigating your case or interviewing witnesses (although we can advise you on how to draft statements).
• Holding money on behalf of anybody else.
• Instructing external experts directly e.g. forensic account or child psychologist

Our experienced clerks and administrators are on hand to help identify the most suitable member of our team for your individual case, and to make instructing that expert as easy as possible. Simply follow the step by step guide below: 

1. Complete the questionnaire below.
2. Our clerks will review the information provided and will contact you by email or telephone to discuss the most suitable member of our team for your needs having regard to the nature of the case, the work required, the timescales concerned and any cost budget you may have. 

Like all professionals, we are required by our regulatory body to keep proper records of our clients and comply with statutory regulations. Information provided will be kept strictly confidential and will not be released by us without your authority, save for very exceptional reasons (such as compliance with money laundering or other such legislation).

Our data protection and privacy policy can be viewed by clicking the link in the footer below.