Solicitors in Liverpool Have to Abide By the Rules Governing All Solicitors

It can often be frustrating when you are faced with a problem which you know can be solved but you also know that this will entail a lengthy and costly process. It can be tempting to try and find ways around it so that you can save time and money but this often leads to further trouble. In the same way, solicitors Liverpool or anywhere can often be tempted to bypass some rules, but can end up in trouble. Solicitors in the Liverpool area and solicitors in Liverpool city centre are no better or worse than those anywhere else and there are good ones and bad ones everywhere. To qualify as a solicitor, candidates must either complete a law degree through a U.K. university or complete a degree in any subject followed by a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL).

Solicitors’ duties to clients       

In our legal system, the solicitor/client relationship has long been recognised as a fiduciary relationship. The term ‘fiduciary’ means trust, so in a fiduciary relationship one person (the client) places his or her confidence, good faith, reliance and trust in another (the solicitor), whose aid, advice or protection is sought in some matter. You will notice that law firms specialize in a particular area of law. Specialist areas include conveyancing law (covering residential property contracts), tenancy issues, family and marriage law and litigation claims for personal injury.

How solicitors charge their clients

Under the Legal Profession Act 2004, solicitors are entitled to charge fees which are fair and reasonable. Some areas of the law are regulated by fee scales, for example, grant of probate and some workers compensation claims. In most areas of the law, costs may be calculated in any of the following ways:

• a fixed amount
• an hourly rate
• an hourly rate with a ceiling on the maximum amount
• no win, no pay
• a method of charging as negotiated to suit the circumstances.

In addition to their fees, solicitors will charge you for expenses incurred on your behalf, for example, barrister's fees or court fees.
They cannot charge you for:                     

• preparing a costs agreement
• making disclosures to you, or
• preparing your bill.

Why do solicitors' fees vary?

Fees between solicitors vary due to differences in:

• Expertise – specialists in a particular area often charge more than a non-specialist
• Seniority – work carried out by a partner of a firm will cost more than work done by a junior solicitor
• Location – services in metropolitan areas are often higher than in rural or regional areas
• Urgency – special fees sometimes apply for urgent work.

When you need to use the services of a solicitor compare the legal fees from a number of different solicitors. As with any other service, the lowest cost may not necessarily be the best value.These matters are often delicate and can escalate, so you need to ensure that you are getting the best service for the money that you can afford. This applies to solicitors in Liverpool as well as solicitors working anywhere else too.