Direct Access to Members of Public

  Members of the public can now instruct a barrister directly, without the need to instruct a solicitor. 

Capital Fortune Chambers have a commitment to access to justice. We fully understand that without public access, it would be impossible for many people to afford specialist legal advice and representation in court. 

We also appreciate that some people want to mitigate and reduce their legal fees. 

Whatever the reasons for choosing public access, our aim is to make the process simple and straightforward.

• Reducing legal costs
• Increased control over your own case
• Direct advice and guidance from a specialist barrister
• Development of a personalised case theory, strategy and evidence requirements from the outset
• Enhancing the success of early settlement or trial

If you instruct us directly, we can give you advice, draft documents on your behalf and represent you in court.

We can also communicate with all parties, go onto the Court file as acting, can submit Court applications and assist in the production of witness statements. This in addition to advocacy is all the work a solicitor can undertake, given our extension permissions to provide Litigation services

Capital Fortune Chambers specialise in public access in all aspects of Family Law:-

• Adoption;
• Allegations of Domestic Violence
• Arrangements for Children on parental separation
• Advocacy
• Civil Partnership Dissolution; 
• Cohabitation Agreements; 
• Cohabitation Disputes; 
• Company and Business asset tracing
• Divorce and Separation; 
• Domestic Abuse and Harassment; 
• Finance in Divorce – Urgent Applications;
• Financial Settlements (Form E);
• Grandparents Access;
• Legal Advice in Support of Mediation;
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) matters
• Litigation
• Non Molestation % occupation Orders
• Prenuptial Agreements;
• Separation Agreements; 
• Solicitor Negotiation; 

Further guidance on the public access scheme can be found by clicking  Bar Standards Board link. 

Instructing a barrister is simple and usually completed in 3 easy steps

Step 1 – Initial Consultation

Please complete the enquiry form which will help us to assess the nature of the assistance that we can provide and the barrister best suited for you. 

You can email us at robk@cfchambers.com with your enquiries, especially those of an urgent nature.

Once we have your details we will assess your case and in non-urgent cases endeavour to respond within 2 working days. At such time, depending on the suitability of your case, we will usually charge an Initial Consultation. There is a nominal fee of £75 + VAT for this meeting. It is possible to hold the Initial Consultation meeting by telephone.

At the Initial Consultation you will outline the problems  you are experiencing, show us whatever documents you have and tell us what you would like us to do. At the Initial Consultation we will discuss your case in broad terms in order to identify what services you need us to perform and the timescale for performing those services. We will also deal with whether your case is suitable for public access. If it is not, we will do our best to identify a suitable solicitor to meet your needs.

You will be asked to bring along your driving licence or your passport and a recent utility bill. We will take and retain copies of these documents to ensure that we comply with any relevant statutory obligations.  You should also bring to this meeting  (1) any court papers (2) any documents filed at court and (3) any relevant correspondence with the other side or their lawyers. The Initial Consultation will last around 30 minutes.

Step 2 – Quote

If your case is suitable for public access you will be provided with a quote for the cost of the work that needs to have carried out on your behalf. The quote is usually provided after the Initial Consultation. Sometimes in order to arrive at a fee estimate, you will be asked to provide the barrister with copies of documents that your barrister will need to read.   Our standard rates start from  £400 per hour.

Step 3 – Contract

If you are happy with the fee that is quoted we will send you a client care letter confirming the barrister who will be acting for you, the work to be done, the fee and the fee structure for the service. The letter will also set out the terms and conditions under which the barrister will act for you. The client care letter forms the contract between you and your barrister. You will not be liable for any fees until you sign the client care letter. Once you have returned the signed client care letter to us and complied with the payment obligations contained in the letter, the barrister will begin to act on your behalf.  

Advice

Barristers are best placed to provide effective and realistic advice on your legal problem.

We can provide you with advice; whether face to face in conference or in writing. Sometimes at the start of a dispute, firm and clear guidance will be called for; providing assistance on the range of options available and the evidence to be obtained. In other cases a more detailed fully comprehensive opinion on the merits of a case will be essential. Sometimes a second opinion or an advice on the merits of an appeal will be required. The nature of the instruction will be discussed at the Initial Consultation.

All enquiries will be treated as strictly confidential.