Teachers Defence Service
Our Fees for Legal ServicesHow do our barristers charge?
Fees for Legal Representation and Legal Advice
About Us
Teachers Defence Service represents teachers in regulatory cases related to teaching, barring and DBS, civil and criminal law, inquests and employment law.
Our Approach to Fees
It is not an easy task to give a predict of likely global fees in any case at the very beginning, but we will do our best to give some ballparks.
Many variables and developments can occur, which make it difficult to provide guidance in general terms. However, we do our best here to give some guidance. We recognise that most teachers will be paying out of their own pocket and so we aim to be afforable, while providing a quality services.
Our Hourly Rates
The hourly rate that you will pay will be agreed prior to any work being undretaken. Barristers will charge an hourly rate except where a fixed fee applies. Fees are usually charged in six minute units. Fees start at £150 an hour, rising to £250 an hour in some cases. Our senior lawyers charge corporate rates of up to £400 plus VAT an hour. Some of our barristers are VAT registered and 20% will be applicable to their fees, in addtion. A six minute unit is charged at £15 to £25 (plus VAT, if applicable). If a phone call or a piece of work were to take two and a half minutes, by was of example, it would attract a fee of one full unit. This is common to lawyers in the UK. Other external lawyers who we work with will charge their own rates.
Hourly rates are usually charged for prepararation, research, drafting, lodging papers.
Disbursements
In some instances you may be liable to pay court fees and other fees (such as an expert’s fee, when one is instructed). You must meet these payments promptly. The relevant work will generally not be undertaken except where such fees have been paid in advance.
Fixed Fees
First Consultation
We usually charge a fixed fee for a consultation, to include of reading relevant case papers in advance, a conference, and a short emailed Advice afterwards setting out our analysis and recommendations. A conference fee usually starts around £500 plus VAT, but can be more if the case is complex or there is a lot to read. Work undertaken after the initial conference will be charged separately. A conference fee average is £700 plus VAT. Where a case is particularly complex the fee could be around £1,200 plus VAT, but this is rare. Further consultations will either be charged at a fixed fee rate or our hourly rate.
Case Management
Case management meetings and hearings are usually conducted by phone and we will quote for them specifically. They are not always required.
Hearings
We usually charge fixed fees for representation at hearings, to include travel expenses, hotel accommodation, and subsistence, as well as for work during the hearing itself. Where we charge a fixed fee, generally speaking we do not reduce or refund any aspect fo the fee if the case goes short or does not use up each hour of each listed day. Fees for a two day hearing start at around £1,500 plus VAT, but can be higher depending on the complexity of the case, the seniority and experience of the lawyer, the location of the hearing, and the expenses incurred to undertake the task. A five day case could cost around £4,000 plus VAT. These are estimates. Once we know the number of days the case will take place, and the complexity of the case is understood by us, we can provide formal quotes. These example hearing representation fees do not include the preparatory work or conference fees.
Insurance Claims
You may be able to claim on your insurance. So check your policies, household, professional and business.
Legal Aid
Legal aid is very difficult to obtain for regulatory cases. However, it may be available for other cases. It is generally available for cirminal cases, on a means-tested basis. Other areas of law may be covered. Check with the legal aid agency in your country for more details.
External Lawyers
We work with lawyers who are external to us, across the UK. We will make recommendations about when external lawyers need to be instructed.
Client Care Letters
We will put in place a client care letter before undertaking any work, along with a cancellation policy and our complaints policy. External lawyers will do the same. Client care letters must be signed and returned to us before work commences. If you choose to cancel within 14 days, the work we have done by the time we receive the cancellation document will be chargeable. Our terms apply to all work we undertake.
Instruction by a solicitor or other organisation
Our Standard Terms for Solicitor Instructions will apply, based on the Bar Council Standard Contractual Terms that are in place at the time. These are separate terms from those set out in the client care letter. We accept instructions from teaching unions.
Our Right to Withdraw from Acting for You
We reserve the right to withdraw from a case without notice where we are either professionally embarrassed or we have not received payment in advance.
Jurisdiction
Any dispute as to fees or other matters are reserved to the courts, regulators and legal ombudsman, of the jurisdiction of England and Wales.
Our Services
We can provide advice and guidance, or advocacy services (including representation at hearings), if instructed, to assist you in dealing with this regulator. Our fees are competitive. Give us a call on 020 3012 0402 without obligation and in strict confidence to see how we can assist you. Or use our Contact Form.
Teachers Defence Service
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Our Other Services
We also represent teachers in disciplinary hearings, criminal prosecutions, DBS matters, barring challenges, appeals, civil and employment law. Read More