The Basics

If you are looking for Keynsham no win no fee solicitors, the key point is that these arrangements may be available for some claim types, but they are not offered by every local firm or for every situation. A no win no fee agreement usually means legal fees are linked to the outcome, with the exact costs, deductions and risks set out in the agreement. To explore whether a Keynsham enquiry may fit this type of claim, get a free consultation with First4Lawyers, who can help connect you with a solicitor offering no win no fee arrangements where appropriate.

This page explains the general idea in plain English, including what a Conditional Fee Agreement can involve, what costs may still matter, and why it is worth checking the details before relying on the phrase “no win no fee” alone.

Conditional Fee Agreements

No Win No Fee is a term in the UK commonly used to describe Conditional Fee Agreements (CFAs) between lawyers and their clients. In general, a CFA can allow someone to pursue a claim without paying all legal fees upfront, with the solicitor’s payment usually linked to a successful outcome. If a claim is unsuccessful, payment obligations to the solicitor may be limited, but other costs can still matter, including disbursements such as reports or court fees and, in some situations, the other side’s costs. For that reason, “After the Event” (ATE) insurance is sometimes used to reduce certain risks of losing. The exact wording of the agreement is important, and not all case types can use no win no fee arrangements; family and criminal cases do not allow CFAs to be used.

Types of Cost Components 

There are several cost components to check when comparing the benefits and possible drawbacks of a No Win No Fee Agreement:

• 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 Keynsham 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. If you want a general conversation about a possible Keynsham no win no fee claim, visit our partner First4Lawyers for a free no-obligation chat.