No Win No Fee Solicitors | Hebburn

The Basics

If you are looking for no win no fee solicitors in Hebburn, the main thing to check is whether the arrangement fits the type of claim you want to discuss. No win no fee agreements are available across the UK, including for people in Hebburn, but not every solicitor offers them and not every case type is suitable. You can get a free consultation with First4Lawyers, who can help match your enquiry with a solicitor able to explain whether a no win no fee agreement may be available.

For Hebburn residents, that can mean speaking with a solicitor who handles claims remotely or through a wider North East network rather than assuming the right option has to be on a nearby high street. What matters is whether the solicitor can explain the funding clearly, cover the relevant claim type, and set out any costs or deductions before you agree.

Conditional Fee Agreements

No Win No Fee is a term in the UK commonly used to describe Conditional Fee Agreements (CFA) between lawyers and their clients. In general, a CFA means the solicitor’s payment is linked to the outcome of the claim, with a success fee payable if the claim succeeds. If the claim is unsuccessful, the agreement should explain what, if anything, the client may still have to pay, including disbursements such as report fees or court fees. Some arrangements also involve “After the Event” (ATE) insurance, which is designed to cover certain risks or costs if the case is lost. The detail can vary, so anyone comparing no win no fee solicitors in Hebburn should read the paperwork carefully and ask how deductions, insurance premiums and expenses would work in practice. Not all types of case allow no win no fee arrangements; for example, family and criminal cases are generally treated differently.

Types of Cost Components 

There are several cost components to be aware of when comparing a No Win No Fee Agreement. The terms below are worth understanding before you sign, because they affect what may be deducted from compensation and what risks may remain:

• Basic Charges or Standard Fee – Fees associated with legal work done on behalf of a client.  Typically based on the number of hours spent and hourly rates associated with the staff involved with case. Different lawyers in Hebburn will have different fees for their day-to-day work, and these can vary between practices, and between qualified solicitors within a practice.
• Disbursements – Payment for expenses made on behalf of the client including but not limited to court fees, experts’ fees, accident report fees and travelling expenses.
• Success Fee or “Uplift” To compensate for the cost of lost cases, lawyers typically are allowed to add a success fee or ”Uplift” in the CFA.   This is usually a percentage (not more than 100%) of a lawyer’s basic charges that is added to a client’s bill for which they will seek to recover from the other party if they win the claim.
• After the Event (“ATE”) Insurance Premium – Cost of Insurance as part of a no win no fee agreement to indemnify the costs and disbursements of the lawsuit.  Usually purchased at or after the start of the litigation process.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

• Because the cost to the client is linked to the outcome of the case.  For an unsuccessful case, there is the possibility that the client pays little or no cost.
• Required disclosure of a CFA to the other party may encourage earlier settlement as the other party’s cost will increase in line with the level of the success fee.
• Any damages awarded to the client will not be eaten up by the success fee, as the success fee will in most cases be payable by the opponent.

Disadvantages

• There is no privilege, nor privacy attached to the funding arrangement in place. The existence of the CFA must be disclosed to the other party at the outset of the litigation and the risk assessment has to be disclosed to the court and if necessary to the other party when costs are assessed.
• A CFA gives the lawyer a financial interest in the litigation and because of this they are inclined to take control of the strategy and resolution of the litigation.
• Unless the client buys ATE to cover the winning party’s costs, the client is still at risk to pay those costs.

To search for a specific solicitor, try the Solicitors Regulation Authority website, which lists the law firms and people regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Alternatively, visit our partner First4Lawyers for a free no-obligation chat about no win no fee solicitors for Hebburn and the questions to ask before agreeing to funding.