We have vast experience in dealing with legal disputes and are available to help you with any case, no matter how large or complex, and resolve it in a timely manner.
Our director – Michael Coyle – is Solicitor Advocate, meaning that we are able to represent you in all civil courts throughout England and Wales, so there is no need to appoint external counsel. Not only does this mean that we can deal with the whole process for you, but it also reduces your costs.
We are available to represent you across a wide range of actions, including:
Although we are prepared to take a case to court whenever necessary, we always try to avoid litigation whenever possible through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and arbitration. This is in your best interests as it will save you the money, time and effort that a court case entails. However, if court proceedings are inevitable then we will pour all our effort and resources into ensuring a successful outcome for you.
Whenever possible we work on a set fee basis, but the amount very much depends on your circumstances. On occasion, we can also accept County and High Court action cases on a no win-no fee basis, but this is also subject to the nature of the situation.
Civil Litigation in the County Court and High Court
Legal Costs
It is often said that there is only one winner when it comes to Commercial Litigation and that is the lawyer. Even if you have a sure fire case (unusual) and are awarded your legal costs, it is often the case that you will ever have these returned in full to you.
This is because if you are successful and the opponent is ordered to pay your expenses you may still have to pay some fees to your solicitor. This is because the expenses that the Court can order the other side to pay (Judicial Expenses) are calculated on a different basis than is used to calculate the fees charged by solicitors to their clients.
Your solicitor may ask you to pay the difference, although you may agree with your solicitor at the outset that he/she will accept the fees that can be recovered from Judicial expenses.
Choosing a Solicitor
Good advice on bringing a claim
Your case is only as good as your documents- no documents- no case!
Have you had an Opinion on the claim? Only bring a claim when you have had an advice or opinion on the merits of the claim? In our view a claim ought only to be considered where you have been advised a claim is likely to be successful on a 65% or more basis.
Any less than 65% may not rule out sending a letter of claim as often litigation is about poker. You must always give the impression that you are going to litigate. Often giving the impression that you intend to sue does give the desired affect and a deal can be done.
Settlement
The best piece of advice you may never receive is, talk to your opponent. We always suggest sending two letters when you start the battle. The first is an open letter which can always be referred to throughout the court proceedings ie the letter of claim. The second type of letter will be referred to as ‘without prejudice save as to costs’ and can never be referred to until the conclusion of the case when your legal costs may well be considered so its a good idea to get talking from the outset. Issue proceedings only when jaw-jaw has been firmly exhausted.
Think of it as a dual carriageway – on the one side of the road you will have the dispute correspondence or open correspondence, on the other side you have the ‘without prejudice correspondence’ which cannot. They should never be mixed up, always keep the ‘jaw jaw’ away from ‘war war’.
Money claims
To issue a claim for money, the following fees will be payable based on the amount claimed, including interest:
Value of Claim | Court Issue Claimed | Filed via SDT / MCOL* | |||
Up to | £300 | £35 | £25 | ||
Greater than | £300 | but no more than | £500 | £50 | £35 |
Greater than | £500 | but no more than | £1000 | £70 | £60 |
Greater than | £1000 | but no more than | £1500 | £80 | £70 |
Greater than | £1500 | but no more than | £3000 | £115 | £105 |
Greater than | £3000 | but no more than | £5000 | £205 | £185 |
Greater than | £5000 | but no more than | £10000 | £455 | £410 |
Greater than | £10000 | but no more than | £200000 | 5% of the value of the claim | 4.5% of the value of the claim |
Greater than | £200000 | but no more than | £10000 | N/a |
We are a commercial law firm but from time to time and purely discretionary Lawdit Solicitors will provide legal advice and assistance related to family law.
Lawdit ® Solicitors is the trading name of Lawdit Solicitors Ltd. Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales.
