Civil Litigation

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Civil Litigation

At Michael Law Solicitors, we have an experienced Civil Litigation team that provides the highest quality service and practical advice to both individuals and organisations.

No case is too big or too small and our experienced team is here to help you at every step of the way, ensuring you receive a service tailored to meet your needs.

Our Services Include:

Alternative Dispute Resolution
Bankruptcy
Intellectual Property Dispute
Debt Recovery
Professional Negligence
International Disputes
Insolvency and Administration
Contract Disputes
Landlord & Tenant Disputes

Whether defending your professional or personal interests from a claim, or pursuing a claim against another party, our experienced litigation team will advise you on all the options, guide you through the process and look to find an effective resolution that achieves your aims.

At Michael Law Solicitors we recognise that each client and the solutions they require are unique, and we always adapt our approach to meet our client’s objectives.

Sometimes, it may not be possible to resolve a matter through alternative dispute resolution – and in such cases, we will take swift action to protect our client’s professional or personal client’s interests.

We offer the best representation for any court action, whether defending your interests from a claim, or pursuing a claim against another party, our experienced litigation team will advise you on all the option, guide you through the process and look to find an effective resolution that achieves your aims.

At Michael Law Solicitors we recognise that each client and the solutions they require are unique, and we always adapt our approach to meet our client’s objectives. There are many ways to resolve a dispute, whether through negotiation, mediation, arbitration or litigation, we will handle your dispute with absolute integrity and professionalism.

Disputes can concern anything from unpaid bills or unfulfilled contract terms to problems between landlords and tenants, infringement of IP rights, construction-related claims, the liabilities of insurers, shipping cases, defective products, professional negligence … the list is endless.

We can assist you in the following ways at Michael Law Solicitors:

Advise claimants on whether they have a valid claim, and defendants on whether to settle or fight a claim made against them.
Gather evidence and witnesses to support the client’s position; develop case strategies.
Issue court proceedings or embark on a process of alternative dispute resolution if correspondence with the opposition does not produce a satisfactory result.
Represent clients at pre-trial hearings and case management conferences.
Attend conferences with barristers and brief them to conduct advocacy in hearings, trials and arbitrations.
Attend trials, arbitrations and mediations with clients; provide assistance to barristers.

Contact our specialist Civil Litigation Solicitors on 01908560343 to book an appointment.

Our Fees:

As no cases are the same our indicative pricing (based upon our hourly rates) for bringing and defending claims in civil litigation are:

Simple case - £ 3,000 - £10,000
Medium complexity case - £10,000 - £25,000
High complexity case - £25,000 - £50,000 +

All fees stated above exclude VAT which will be charged in addition at the the current rate of 20% and also exclude disbursements.

The above figures are only estimates and we can provide a further detailed view on potential costs once we have considered the case.

Our current hourly rates:

Partner/Senior Solicitor £300
Assistant Solicitor (up to 8 years qualified) £260
Trainee/Paralegal £140

Factors that could make a case more expensive and complex:

If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim

Defending claims that are brought by persons acting without a legal representative
Making or defending a costs application
Complex preliminary issues such as whether the Claimant is disabled or a particular category of worker
The number of witnesses and documents is high
If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim
Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal
Allegations that involve whistle-blowing.

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees and/or Barristers Fees, and which are called 'disbursements'. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. We may ask for these fees on account in order to pay the third party.

Barrister’s Fees:

You would usually be represented by a Barrister in respect of any Tribunal hearing. Their fees are estimated between £500 and £2,000 (plus VAT) per day including preparation, depending on the experience of the Barrister and the length of hearing. There may be other costs payable to third parties, such as expert witnesses and medical reports, depending upon the nature of the claim.

Key Stages

The examples of typical costs above cover all of the work in relation to the following key stages of an unfair dismissal or wrongful dismissal case:

Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on your prospects of success in the case and the likely compensation and costs, although this is likely to be revisited throughout the case and subject to change.
Entering into pre-claim conciliation with ACAS where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached.
Preparing your claim or a response to a claim.
Reviewing and advising on the claim or response from the other party.
Exploring settlement throughout the process and negotiating the terms of settlement.
Preparing or considering a Schedule of Loss.
Preparing for and attending a Preliminary Hearing.
Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents.
Drafting witness statements and agreeing their content with witnesses.
Preparing bundles of documents for the final hearing.
Reviewing and advising on the other party's witness statements.
Agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list.
Preparation for final hearing, including instructions to and conferences with the barrister.

The stages set out above are an indication only. If some of the stages are not required, the fee will be reduced. Clients may wish to attempt to handle some or all parts of a matter themselves and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged based on your individual needs.

How long will the matter take?

The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is capable of settlement. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation your case is likely to take 3 – 4 months. If your claim proceeds to a final hearing your case is likely to take up to two years depending on the availability of time for your hearing at the Employment Tribunal. This is just an estimate and we will of course give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.

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