For a while members of the public and commercial and non-commercial organisations have been able to instruct barristers directly on most civil matters. The rules have now changed, and public access has been extended to criminal matters.

You may be able to save money and get a better service by using the Bar directly. Here’s how:

Members of the public are able to come direct to barristers for legal advice and representation without having to go through a solicitor or another intermediary professional first. This means you can have more control over your own case, and are likely to save money. It has been described by the Bar Council as a ‘cost effective short-cut’.

Barristers are trained specialist advisers and advocates. You may need them to get involved where expert advice is needed. Their role as such, hasn’t changed. However, under the public access scheme you can engage and deal directly with your barrister. You can go directly to the specialist of your choice. You can take responsibility for the preliminary work which would otherwise be done by a solicitor, in order to save yourself the time and money which they would cost.

Not every matter is suitable for public access work because there are some things that barristers are not allowed to do. Public Access is particularly suited to companies, public bodies and individuals who have administrative support.

If you have a legal matter that needs attention you can:

 email us with the details on

charterdirect@charterchambers.com

or telephone the clerks on

020 7618 4400.

We will be pleased to help you understand the process and assess whether this is the right route for you.

Our services
Our aim is to provide a personal, accessible and professional service where we provide you with support and guidance including specialist advice; representation in courts; tribunals’ arbitrations and any other hearings where you are allowed to be represented by someone else.

Our barristers can:

• Give you expert legal advice
• draft documents for you including formal court documents
• advise you on formal steps which need to be taken in proceedings before a court or other organisation and draft formal documents for use in those proceedings
• help you to draft correspondence
• help to draft witness statements based on provided information
• advise you on the need and choice of a suitable expert and draft instructions to expert witnesses
• offer you advice on the next steps to be taken in proceedings

Barristers cannot:

• issue proceedings or take other formal steps in court or other proceedings
• instruct an expert witness on your behalf
• handle your money

Charter Chambers’ public access team -
Charter's barristers are fully trained in how to deal with Public Access work.

How do I instruct a Charter Chambers barrister direct?
The first step is to make contact with us (clerks@charterchambers.com). The clerks are trained in managing Public Access work, experienced in recommending barristers with the relevant expertise to assist you and they will ensure that business matters are dealt with efficiently and effectively.

A barrister will discuss your legal problem with you and will tell you if we need more information in order to be able to advise you properly. We will then be able to give you a quotation for the work you require and we will send you a contract which will spell out the basis on which the work will be done.

When you receive the contract from us you will need to read it carefully and check that it says what you understand was agreed with us. If you think there are any problems with it you must contact us and discuss it.

How much will it cost?
We usually charge for our work on an hourly basis. The exact hourly rate will depend on the nature and complexity of your legal problem and the seniority of the barrister you choose to deal with your case. Our more junior barristers charge from £100-£300 per hour and our most senior barristers, including those who are Queen's Counsel (silks), typically charge between £300-£500 per hour plus VAT.

We will try to give you a fixed price for advisory and drafting work in advance. If this is the case, we will not exceed the amount we have quoted without your express prior authority.

We usually charge fixed-rate fees for advocacy work, especially for court work, and we will negotiate those fees with you before appearing on your behalf.

When do I have to pay?
If we have provided you with a fixed price then we will require the fees to be paid in advance of any work being done.

Where further work is required by the barrister on top of what was previously agreed, a new quote and a new contract will be issued. Our barristers will not undertake any new work until all outstanding fees have been paid.

Where can I get further information?
More information about the Public Access rules is available on the Bar Council’s website: www.barcouncil.org.uk.

Can I email you about my legal issue?
Yes. Email the team on clerks@charterchambers.com