Our Fees

At Austin Kemp we are fully committed to always providing you with high quality, focused and consistently excellent legal advice that is competitively priced and representative of superior value-for-money.

We are confident that prudent investment in the right law firm at the start of a legal process not only saves money in the long term, but also delivers the greatest chance of securing the most favourable outcome for your case.

Our Fee Structure

When you decide to employ the services of Austin Kemp, we will furnish you with a Client Care Letter. This clearly states the fees you can expect to pay, with each service itemised on an hourly basis. The hourly rate is not fixed; there is a sliding scale dependent on the experience and expertise of the Austin Kemp employee dealing with your case. The rates which apply to each case are set out in our Client Care Letter.

Our chargeable hourly fees extend to meetings with you and others, any travel necessary to undertake in relation to your case, consideration and research related to your case, writing and receiving related correspondence (including emails), making and receiving telephone calls, preparing and working on documents.

The time spent on your case is itemised as units of one tenth of one hour. Therefore, this is the minimum amount of time we will levy for work undertaken by Austin Kemp related to your case.

What is a Cost Estimate?

At the outset, after we understand and process the particulars of your case at our initial consultation, we will provide you with a cost estimate. This is an estimate of the fees you can expect to pay based upon the case as we understand it from this initial consultation.

Please note, it is impossible to provide a precise estimate of the overall cost of your case. It is dependent on a number of variable factors that develop and evolve as your case progresses. For instance, the cost of a divorce is largely dependent upon the actions of your spouse. It is rare to defend a divorce. However, if your spouse were to, this will significantly increase the cost of your divorce.

Please note, it is impossible to provide a precise estimate of the overall cost of your case. It is dependent on a number of variable factors that develop and evolve as your case progresses.

How do we keep a control on the charges?

We appreciate that no-one wants to be surprised with a large bill after months of service. This is why we commit to working closely with you to design a billing structure that best suits your needs.

A key part of our work is to continually monitor the costs being incurred against the outcome. At each stage of the case we try to make a forward estimate and provide monthly charge statements. Furthermore, we will always advise you on economic sensibilities of proceeding with your case versus accepting the terms of settlement available.

How can you pay for your divorce?

It is basic economics that professional, valuable legal advice costs money. However, there are a number of options available to you if you fear that quality legal representation from Austin Kemp is beyond your current budget. These include:

Borrowing

Family or friends may be willing to help. We can ensure that any loan arrangements are properly documented. Equally, some clients choose to borrow on an overdraft or a credit card.

A Legal Costs Allowance from the other party

If you substantially depend on the other party for financial support, we may be able to secure an order that results in them paying for your ongoing legal fees. This is classed as part of your regular maintenance payments. Again, there are some fairly stringent criteria, so talk to us about the process involved.

Litigation Lending

We work closely with specialised lenders who can advance money to pay your legal costs against the prospect of being repaid from a settlement. There are fairly stringent criteria. However, if you are virtually certain of winning a sizeable amount, but you have insufficient money to get to the finish, it may well be an option.

A ‘Sears Tooth’ Agreement

A Sears Tooth Agreement is an agreement between solicitor and client that ensures the solicitor is paid for their guidance and actions throughout the divorce without causing financial fears for the client. The solicitor and their client agree that an appropriate amount of the client’s final divorce settlement is provided to the solicitor to meet the fees.

If you are concerned about how you might pay for your legal costs, contact us for advice. It is always better to pay for the best legal representation you can, rather than cut costs now and lose out further down the line.

Are we transparent with our fees?

Yes. We keep our clients updated on fees incurred at every step of the process. We will always let you know about pending expenses, such as court fees. You can be sure that we will provide you a clear and transparent breakdown of our charges costs at each stage; no nasty surprises.

Make the first move

Find out how we can help you, call us on
0845 862 5001 or email us today.