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Funding

AM International Solicitors

Will advise you on the options available to you for funding your case during your first consultation.

We offer the following funding options:

Private Clients

Our fees in all other cases such as civil litigation, family and immigration are charged on an hourly rates. We also act on the basis of fixed fees, depending on the complexity of your case.

At your first meeting you will be told how we calculate our charges and we will give you a detailed breakdown of the anticipated costs whenever possible.

Criminal Cases and Extradition

Public Funding

We hold a contract with the Legal Aid Agency and are in a position to offer legal aid to those who meet the relevant criteria. Eligible clients can expect that the cost of their cases will be wholly or partly paid for from public funds. If you do not qualify for legal aid you are able to pay privately for your representation and should contact us for an estimate of the likely costs.

Privately Funded

We offer a number of competitive options in respect of private funding. We pride ourselves on our ability to offer a cost effective and efficient service to both private individuals and large organisations facing prosecution. In the event that you are successful in your case and are not convicted, you may be able to apply for your costs to be reimbursed.

We are committed to providing a Quality Service and have been awarded the Law Society’s Practice Management Standards (Lexcel) and the Law Society’s Criminal Litigation Accreditation, issued by the Law Society. Anna Matelska, Director, who has overall supervision of the organisations is a Higher Court Advocate.

We have a dedicated and experienced team of solicitors with a wealth of expertise who can assist you with your matter. Please see ‘Our Team’ page for each individuals expertise.

Pricing

Fees can vary for each matter depending on the complexity and issues involved. Where possible we will agree a fixed fee with you to agree our costs and if that is not possible, we will confirm the hourly rate which is chargeable and provide you with an estimate of costs at the outset. This of course is just an estimate as there may  be more work than initially envisaged and we will always keep you updated as to costs. 

In addition to our profit costs (our fees for the work we do for you) you may have to pay disbursements and Vat. Disbursements are fees payable to other parties to obtain their services and may include fees for barristers, interpreters, experts, medical reports, travel costs, etc.We will always seek your approval for any disbursements to be incurred before instructing an interpreter, translator or any other expert. We may ask you to pay the Barristers fees directly.

We are clear about legal costs and set out-out terms and conditions at the beginning of the professional relationship in writing. We also try to be as flexible with our fees as the case will allow, some cases are simply too complex to merit a full fixed fee rate, but in those cases, we may be able to offer fixed fees per each stage of the proceedings.

Below, we give an indication of fee’s which are based on the ‘average’ matter for motoring offences and some type of Immigration cases. For all other matters and a formal quote, please feel free to get in touch with us.

Motoring Offences

If you have been charged with a motoring offence, such as speeding, driving without due care and attention or driving whilst under the influence, you will require professional legal advice to help limit the impact of any possible consequences. Motoring offences can happen to any individual and the penalties can be serious, with potential outcomes including fines, disqualification or in some cases imprisonment.

Pricing

Fees for dealing with motoring offences can vary depending on whether the plea is Guilty or Not Guilty and the number of hearings involved.  We will need to obtain all the facts and details of your personal circumstances and will liaise with the Court and the CPS in advance and on the day of any hearing.

Our fees will typically include:

  • Considering evidence.
  • Providing advice in relation to the plea and likely sentence.
  • Options available in the event that we cannot advise of the likely sentence, i.e. what options the court may consider when sentencing.
  • Discussing with you where there may be exceptional circumstances, or a special reasons argument should be made to the court.
  • Representation at hearings as agreed.

We offer both fixed fees and hourly rates, whereby you will be charged for each hour of work undertaken. 

Our hourly rates range from £250-£360 + VAT per hour depending upon the experience of the solicitor involved. The initial starting point is for the hourly rate to apply, but we are happy to discuss and agree fixed fees that are tailored to your individual case and needs.

For a guilty plea our work will include: initial consultation, preparation (considering evidence, taking instructions and advising), travel, attendance (final discussions with you when at court) and advocacy (when we represent you) at a single Magistrates Court hearing.  Our fees for this range from £1650 + VAT to £2,500 + VAT depending upon the experience of the individual solicitor involved.

For a not guilty plea our work will include: consultations, preparation (considering evidence, taking instructions and advising), travel, attendance (final discussions with you when at court) and advocacy (when we represent you), for up to 2 Magistrates Court hearings including your Trial date.  Our fees for this range from £3,500 + VAT to £4,500 + VAT depending upon the experience of the individual solicitor involved.

We will provide price information on any additional services, such as obtaining witness statements, sourcing expert witnesses or advising on an appeal as appropriate.

Exclusions

Our fees are fixed and include the items detailed above, however there may be factors which would typically increase the cost of the fees involved in your case. Where there is likely to be any additional cost, we will make sure you are informed of this at the earliest opportunity and a clear estimate of those extra costs will be provided.

Factors that may lead to an increase in cost include:

  • Instruction of any expert witnesses.
  • Taking statements from any witnesses.
  • Providing advice and assistance in in relation to any special reasons hearing.
  • Providing advice or assistance on appeal.
  • Representation at an out-of-area Magistrates Court.

Time Scales

We are not always able to provide timescales of when your hearing will take place as this will depend on the court fixtures and court listing for any particular day.  We will make every effort to keep you up-to-date on any issues affecting the time it will take to deal with your case.

Key Milestones

There are key milestones, which may vary according to individual circumstances.  They may be as follows:

  • Meeting with your Solicitor to provide instructions.
  • Disclosure – where we will consider the initial disclosure provided by the CPS, with any evidence and provide advice on that basis.
  • Where an additional cost has been agreed, we will arrange to take witness statements.
  • We will go through the court process with you, so you are fully aware of what to expect on the day or your hearing.
  • We will discuss the sentencing options available to the court.
  • We will undertake any preparatory work within the time frame of the fixed fee and obtain your instructions.
  • We will attend court with you.  We would allow half a day for this.
  • We will discuss the outcome of the court hearing with you and any next steps if required.

Immigration matters

Where possible, we will always offer the option of our charges as a fixed fee basis. The table below provides an indication of the range of charges that are likely to apply for a number of immigration work types. Please note that the information below is merely a guide andthe exact fee or mode of charging will vary depending on the complexity of your particular matter and this will be agreed in writing when we are instructed.

Immigration Work Type

Average Fee Scale (excluding VAT)

 

From

To

Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) and (Investor) (initial application/ extension/indefinite leave)

£7,500

£10,000

Tier 2 (initial application/extension/indefinite leave to remain)

£1,500

£2,500

Tier 4

£750

£1,500

Tier 4 Parent

£2,500

£3,500

PBS Dependant’s visa

£750

£1,000

Family based application under Appendix FM (initial application /extension/indefinite leave to remain)

£1,500

£3,000

Application for indefinite leave to remain under the 10-year rule

£1,500

£2,500

Applications for an EEA residence card for a partner or child of an EEA national

£1,000

£1,500

Applications for permanent right of residence document

£1,000

£1,500

EEA application based on a retained right of residence

£1,500

£2,000

EEA application based on a retained right of residence

£1,500

£2,000

Visit visa applications

£1,500

£3,000

Application for British citizenship

£750

£1,500

Please note, the cost for Tier 2 licensing enquiries, appeals, judicial reviews, human rights and asylum applications vary significantly, and quotes will be provided on an hourly or fixed fee basis once all the information has been provided and we are aware of the full facts.

Hourly Charges

Where our fees are calculated on an hourly basis, the following hourly charge rates will apply:

Fee Earner Level

Hourly Rate (excluding VAT)

Grade A –  Directors, Solicitors and legal executives with over 8 years’ experience

£360

Grade B – Solicitors and legal executives with over 4 years’ experience

£250

Grade C – Other solicitors or legal executives and fee earners of equivalent experience

£200

Grade D – Trainee solicitors, paralegals and other fee earners

£165

When charging on an hourly basis, we will always provide you with an estimate of our likely charges once we have a better understanding of what is involved and always before we start working on your matter.

What Services are Included?

The indicative fixed fee ranges set out above include all the following work:

  • Discussing your circumstances with you in detail and confirming what is the most appropriate course of action for you and what other options may be available to you;
  • Giving you advice about the requirements of the Immigration Rules and whether you meet the criteria;
  • Considering the supporting evidence you have provided;
  • Where necessary, helping you obtain any further evidence in support of your matter, including taking statements of any witnesses if needed;
  • Preparing any documents, including Home Office applications, and submitting the same on your behalf;
  • Where relevant, attendance at a Home Office interview: if the Home Office ask you to attend an interview, we will give you clear advice and, if required, attend with you.
  • Giving you advice about the outcome of your matter and any further steps you need to take.

What Services are not Included?

The indicative fixed fee ranges quoted above do not include any advice and assistance in relation to any further appeal where the Home Office refuses your application.

Disbursements

The fees indicated above relate solely to the fees of AM International Solicitors and do not include any disbursements.

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees, counsel fee, home office fees, immigration health surcharge, any experts’ fees, interpreter’s fees or translation charges. We can handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

The application fee payable to the Home Office can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-table/2020

Counsel’s fees are estimated to be between £1,000 to £2,500 per day (depending on the experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal or Court Hearing (including preparation).

Interpreters’ costs can vary significantly with some clients only needing a couple of hours with an interpreter whilst others may need 10 or 15 hours.  Where the help of an interpreter is needed, you might be able to bring a friend or another community figure to help, if not we can help you find a suitable interpreter.

Disbursements, other than the Court fees and Home Office fees, will usually attract VAT which is charged at 20%.

How long will my application take?

It is difficult to estimate the time to get a final decision from the Home Office/Court or Tribunal which depends on various factors involved in the application and the time it would take for the Home Office/Court/Tribunal to consider the applications/appeal. It is likely that in most straight forward cases it would take 3-6 months for the Home Office to provide a decision.

We cannot guarantee how long the Home Office will take to process your application. Read the current processing times here.

We will normally be able to submit your application within 2 weeks of you instructing us provided you give us all relevant information and documentation without delay, but we will let you know at the earliest opportunity if it is likely to take longer than this.

Please note the indicative fixed fee ranges shown above are an estimate. All applications are likely to vary and of course, we can give you a more accurate estimate once we have more information about your specific case.

 

BUSINESS DEBT RECOVERY and CVIL MATTERS FEES

We will discuss any legal work required and provide you with costs when necessary, which could be on a fixed fee or an hourly rate if more extensive work is needed. Details of our hourly rate can be found further below.

In civil and debt recovery matters our hourly rates are dependent upon the experience of the solicitor, and/or other members of staff, that spend time working on your case and an amount of the work involved.

 

Hourly Charges

Where our fees are calculated on an hourly basis, the following hourly charge rates will apply:

Fee Earner Level

Hourly Rate (excluding VAT)

Grade A –  Directors, Solicitors and legal executives with over 8 years’ experience

£409-360

Grade B – Solicitors and legal executives with over 4 years’ experience

£250

Grade C – Other solicitors or legal executives and fee earners of equivalent experience

£200

Grade D – Trainee solicitors, paralegals and other fee earners

£165

 

When charging on an hourly basis, we will always provide you with an estimate of our likely charges once we have a better understanding of what is involved and always before we start working on your matter.

VAT rate of 20% is payable on all of our fees except some circumstances where you are a company registered outside of England and Wales eg in Europe.

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