Steve Norton Freelance Solicitor – My terms of Engagement

 

Initial information

I am a practising solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to practice as a freelance solicitor. I carry out my practice under the SRA exemption of a 'freelance solicitor not providing reserved legal services'.

I can offer you advice on non-reserved areas of law only, in particular employment law where I have predominantly practised law. 

I am governed by the SRA Code of Conduct SRA | SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs, RFLs and RSLs | Solicitors Regulation Authority.

I may also be able to offer general information on other unreserved areas of law such as housing law, family and drafting of Wills, Lasting Power of Attorneys or consumer law based on my level of competence through legal training and my own continuing professional development in these areas. More specialist legal advice by legal practices specialising in more depth where matters are more complex is advised.

 

Contract terms 

After our initial call if you wish to engage me to help you with your matter I will offer you an initial quote for the advice or work you require. I will then send you a client care letter setting out the work agreed the cost and likely timescale, along with the terms and conditions. As I work entirely on-line there are unlikely to be any additional disbursements (i.e. costs for expenses such as photocopying documents, fees for obtaining documents or postage).

Once you have signed and returned the client care letter agreeing to the terms a valid contract will then exist between us and work on your matter can be commenced. 

I will communicate with you on-line via MS Teams, mobile or other agreed secure means.

 

Payment for services

I will normally invoice you after the work has been concluded but if the work agreed more complex and/or involves a substantial amount of time to complete I may request money on account before initiating the work. Payment of invoices should be paid within 30 days of receipt of invoices. Interest will be charged at the Bank of England base rate plus 2.5% where invoices are paid late.

My hourly fee is £100 plus any disbursements. I use the standard method of many solicitors to calculate time used by many law firms.  An hour is broken down into units of time. These usually consist of 6-minute units (10 units per hour) rounded to the nearest unit. Examples based on my hourly fee would be :–

My hourly rate is £100. I advise you on one of the terms of your employment contract which amounts to a 18 minute phone call which amounts to 3 units.  At £100 per hour each unit of 6 minutes would be £10, thus the charge would be £30 (3 units £10 per unit).

You require a short document to be reviewed over the phone and brief advice given which takes 36 minutes. This amounts to £60 based on my hourly rate (6 units £10 per unit.

As a freelance solicitor I am not allowed to hold a separate client account for client monies.

I am not registered for VAT so any quotes will not be inclusive or exclusive of have VAT added.

 

Termination of instructions

You have the right to terminate your instructions at any time and will be invoiced for any work performed on your behalf up to the point of termination. I reserve the right to terminate instructions where it is reasonable to do so such as failure to pay invoices or unreasonable behaviour. 

 

Insurance 

I do not have professional indemnity insurance as I am not obliged to have this in place under the SRA rules governing solicitors who are engaged in non-reserved work only.

 

Areas of law I am unable to advise on

I am not authorised to advise on areas known as ‘reserved legal activities' which the following fall into are examples:-

Probate activities

Notarial activities

Administrating Oaths

Advising on a dispute which includes representation in court

Work on conveyancing for buying or selling properties

 

Documents and copyright

Documents I am sent by a client regarding their matter will be stored electronically only.

I will retain the ownership of all copyright or other intellectual property rights of any documents and materials created on behalf of clients. 

 

Client confidentiality 

I have a professional and legal obligation to keep information provided to me on a confidential basis by clients who instruct me in their matter, unless the client agrees the information should be disclosed or if it is already in the public domain. 

 

Money Laundering Regulations (MLR)

You will be asked to provide forms of identification to comply with the MLR before work can begin on your matter usually a form of photo ID such as a passport of driving licence. 

 

Data protection

I will comply with any obligations under data protection legislation or regulations.

 

Your right of cancellation as a consumer

Consumers have a 14 day period in which to cancel service at any time within that period without charge. Where a client instructs me to provide a service immediately, the 14 day cancellation period will not apply and I will ask you to pay a reasonable amount for the service I have provided in that period towards my fees and any disbursements (if relevant). 

 

Equality and diversity

I am committed to dealing with all clients and service users equally regardless of their age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, race, religion or other protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. 

 

Raising a complaint

Any complaints should in the first instance be raised with me directly. If I cannot resolve your complete to your satisfaction you could contact the Legal Ombudsman Home | Legal Ombudsman.  You can also contact the SRA SRA | Reporting a solicitor or firm to us | Solicitors Regulation Authority.

 

I confirm that I have read and understood and that I accept these Terms.

 

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SOLICITOR’S NAME

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