Commercial Fraud solicitors Brighton and hove

Commercial fraud claims are difficult to prove, and as with any strong civil or criminal defence case, the likelihood of a claim being successful or dismissed lays with the strength of any evidence.

In these situations, it’s critical that you speak to a solicitor to understand whether the claim has any chance of success.

Failing to take action now allows any potential claimant to build a stronger case, or defendant to build a more robust defence.

Each case is different, which is why we offer an untimed initial consultation priced at £108 including VAT at which stage your solicitor will offer an estimate of:

• How long they expect it will take to achieve your desired outcome
• How much you can expect to pay
• The work that is involved, for example drafting and sending a letter before action, going through mediation or filing the case at court

Should you choose to instruct our firm, we will write to you confirming our fee estimate.

If your case needs to be referred to a court, there may be additional administration fees (printing, bundle assembly and postage), as well as any relevant court fees payable to the court.

Depending on the severity of the claim, there may be significant additional costings to receive expert witness reports regardless of whether you are defending or making a claim for commercial fraud.

There is no set length of time it takes to resolve a claim for commercial fraud. Some claims can be resolved in months, while others can take years.

For cases that proceed to the County, High or Crown Court, this will depend on the court’s availability and can take anything from 1 to 5 years from start to finish.

Depending on your matter, a typical case would involve:

1. Initial consultation to understand your matter
2. Review of the claim or situation and deciding whether there is a case for commercial fraud
3. Advising on the claim and any evidence that is required

And then as a claimant:

1. Drafting and sending a letter before action to the other side outlining your claim and position
2. Dealing with the response, if any
3. Drafting and finalising your particulars of claim
4. Issuing your claim at the court
5. Dealing with the defence from the other side
6. Progressing through the standard litigation court process
7. Settling the claim out of court or going to trial if no settlement can be reached
8. Enforcing the judgement if it’s in your favour or appealing any decision if unsuccessful, if there is reason to believe this would be successful

Or as a defendant:

1. Dealing with any letters from HMRC and providing any information requested
2. Calling in the help of expert witnesses to build your defence
3. Dealing with the findings of HMRC’s investigation
4. Attending any criminal court hearings
5. Dealing with the outcome of the claim or appealing the outcome if appropriate