The first 30 minutes of an initial consultation is always free (this includes any initial phone meeting or Zoom/online consultation). The only exception to this is "MIAMs" which take place on a fixed fee basis as set out below.
You can speak with us over the telephone or face to face, depending on what you prefer, although we normally recommend a follow-up face-to-face meeting after a phone meeting.
Initial meetings can be helpful if you simply want some very basic information and guidance or would like to discuss with us the possibility of our taking on your case.
Many initial meetings last an hour or more. The first 30 minutes of the initial meeting is free. Thereafter time is charged in accordance with our hourly rates which start at £250 per hour.
Mediation Information and Assessment Meetings ("MIAMs") cost from £150 plus VAT on the basis provided that they do not last for more than one hour. Thereafter, any further time is charged in line with the hourly rate of the mediator.
Preparing for your first meeting
It’s helpful to email us a brief summary of your circumstances and your financial situation before the first meeting. This gives us some information before we meet you and enables us to focus on assisting you and assessing your case. Alternatively, you can complete an online questionnaire through software that we use called "Engage" - this can be helpful in enabling us to get more information from you both before we meet. We will provide you with the option to complete this online questionnaire (it is entirely voluntary) when you contact us.
During the first meeting, we discuss options to resolve your case and the likely costs of our assisting you going forward.
We then provide you with a clear estimate of your likely costs. These of course depend on which option is followed.