If you are accused of a crime or motoring offence, it is natural to be concerned about funding your case. Sadly lawyers have gained a “fat cat” reputation for charging vast fees. The truth is very different though, with fees in criminal defence work being a fraction of those charged by lawyers who deal with other areas of law. That’s understandable though- criminal defence lawyers are only working to maintain your good character and prevent you from potentially going to prison!
Strangely, many criminal defence solicitors and barristers also suffer from a stereotypically British shyness when it comes to discussing fees.
Perhaps the first question is whether or not you are eligible for public funding, or Legal Aid to give it its more popular name. As outlined in more detail on the full page, there are certain criteria that have to be passed in order to be eligible for Legal Aid funding. If you do not qualify, the only choice is between funding your case privately or representing yourself.
If you choose to instruct a solicitor or barrister to represent you, there are many more factors than simply who offers the most affordable fees. For example, it is often possible to agree fixed fees, or payments in instalments that provide you with more certainty that you aren’t going to have to pay more if a case overruns. Alternatively, you may find that instructing a direct access barrister is an affordable way of being represented by a specialist criminal defence advocate
More important than the funding issues though is the fact that you have to be confident in the lawyer representing you- confident that they are capable and experienced to deal with your case, and confident that they will do their utmost to get the best possible outcome in your case.
if you are trying to find a specialist criminal defence lawyer to represent you, contact us to see if we can recommend someone to assist you.