What is your fee structure?

Our fees are based on an hourly fee structure, which we believe is in the best interests of our clients. This is because clients only pay for the advice and assistance they actually receive.  On a fixed fee structure, clients have to pay the full amount of the agreed fee even if, for example, a settlement is reached with a local authority early. Our hourly fee structure saves our clients’ money, which could not have been achieved under a fixed fee structure.

Our professional fees are between £200 per hour for a solicitor to £275 per hour for the Head of Education at Birkett Long.
It is difficult to give an estimate of our professional fees for any particular case, but the below gives you some indications. There are a lot of cases where costs are significantly lower than those given below:

1.    An appeal concerning the refusal by that local authority to undertake a EHC needs assessment under the Children and Families Act 2014, ultimately conceded by a local authority - £3,500
2.    An appeal concerning a placement at a parent’s chosen school, ultimately conceded by a local authority - £4,600 
3.    An appeal concerning the contents of an EHCP in sections B (special educational needs), F (special educational provision) and I (placement) - £7,900

All the above figures are exclusive of VAT and disbursements, including in respect of the latter experts or the fees of Counsel. Specialist legal Counsel is not required in all cases and we are able to represent you at SENDIST.

A qualified solicitor will always be in charge of your case.

Are any of your services offered on a fixed fee basis?

Yes, but only for those described below as we believe it is in our clients’ best interests for such services to be charged at a fixed fee. 
 
We offer a fixed fee service for pre-action protocol letters for judicial review. To enquire about our fixed fees, please get in touch. 
 
There is also our popular EHCP health check review service, which offers a variety of different levels of services to meet all budgets. More details, including the fixed cost of each service, can be found here.

Do you offer caps on fees?

In certain circumstances, we are happy to consider capping our fees which is not something a lot of law firms do. We would be happy to discuss this with you on your request. 

When do I have to pay legal fees?

We bill monthly and can discuss your individual circumstances with you to help you budget if required. 
We recognise that funding cases is always an issue for parents and we are happy to discuss and make suggestions as to ways of funding it.

Do you offer legal aid?

We cannot offer our services on a legal aid basis as Birkett Long does not have a legal aid contract.

If you would like a no obligation conversation with a solicitor about your case, please contact Thomas Emmett on 01245 453847 or email thomas.emmett@birkettlong.co.uk