Pricing
At Britton and Time Solicitors, we provide clear and transparent pricing so you know exactly where you stand.
Criminal Defence: Fees and Work.
At Britton and Time Solicitors, every matter and every client’s needs are different.
We’re committed to providing clarity about our charges and ensuring that you receive exceptional legal services at competitive rates in all legal areas. Our approach acknowledges that every client has distinct pressures, priorities, and preferences that must be carefully considered when structuring our professional relationship.
The foundation of our fee arrangement begins with an assessment of your case, including all relevant issues, complexities, timeframes, and constraints. Beyond understanding the technical requirements, we take time to understand your personal circumstances and preferences to establish a fee structure that provides you with confidence and control.
We provide detailed information about all costs and disbursements and the scope of work for your matter at the outset, clearly outlined in your Engagement Letter. This ensures complete transparency and allows you to make informed decisions about your legal representation from the very beginning.
Our charging structures.
We will always provide a fee quote in one of three ways:
- General fee estimates involve a low and a high fee range to take into account anything unexpected that may come up during your matter. Fees will be incurred at the team’s respective hourly rates and you will receive a monthly invoice.
- Fixed fees involve a fixed sum that you will either pay upfront or in stages to complete your matter. They come with a scope of works that covers the bulk of your matter, while there may be some elements that sit outside of the scope. If this is the case, you will be notified of those out-of-scope items and you will need to make a decision on whether to incur those charges. If so, these will be charged for at an hourly rate.
- Capped fees involve a fee estimate with an upper cap. Fees are incurred at an hourly rate, but will never exceed the fee cap in place, unless the scope of works changes, or there is work required that sits outside of the original scope. As with fixed fees, if this is the case, you will be notified of those out-of-scope items and you will need to make a decision on whether to incur those charges. If so, these will be charged for at an hourly rate.
Not all matters are suited to fixed or capped fees, and we reserve our right to provide such fee arrangements only where appropriate.
How are our fee estimates calculated?
Estimates are generally formulated from the amount of time we expect a matter to take and the seniority of the team involved, however this can vary.
We may, at our discretion, offer fixed fees on criminal defence matters for either the entirety of, or specific stages of your matter.
Where the work involved falls outside of the original scope, the information you have provided us is incomplete, or the evidence against you changes, additional fees may be incurred at the hourly rate of the solicitor working on your matter. This includes on fixed fee and fee capped matters. You will always be advised if this is the case and provided with your options.
We are unable to provide legal aid, pro bono or no win, no fee criminal defence services.
How much does a criminal defence case cost?
Multiple factors can impact on cost, including the severity of the charges, the quality of evidence you are able to provide, the amount of evidence provided, whether new evidence comes to light, whether expert witnesses are required, and what plea you are looking to enter.
To help us provide you with an accurate fee estimate, we always require an initial consultation with one of our criminal defence solicitors. This consultation allows us to understand the details of your matter, the charges you are facing and any evidence you expect to be raised. At our discretion, we offer both paid and free consultations on criminal matters, depending on matter complexity.
Our hourly rates are set out in the table below and vary depending on the seniority of the team member working on your matter. Our average costs represent the work involved across the period it usually takes to either settle your case out of court or proceed to a full hearing.
| Seniority | Hourly rate (excl. VAT) | Hourly rate (incl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Managing Director | £660 | £792 |
| Director | £380 | £456 |
| Legal Director | £360 | £432 |
| Senior Associate | £345 | £414 |
| Associate | £330 | £396 |
| Solicitor | £315 | £378 |
| Trainee Solicitor / Senior Paralegal | £225 | £270 |
| Paralegal | £210 | £252 |
| Administrator / Junior Paralegal | £185 | £222 |
Further information on driving offences.
Driving offences: fees.
Our average fees for driving offences are as follows:
| Nature of activity (Driving Offence) | Not Guilty Plea | Guilty Plea | Court |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summary Offence (Low Severity) | £4,000 – £6,000 | £1,800 | Magistrates |
| Either Way Offence (Medium Severity) | £4,000 – £6,000 | £1,800 | Magistrates / Crown Court |
| Indictable Offence (High Severity) | £15,000 – £30,000 | £4,000 – £6,000 | Crown Court |
Driving offences: work involved
The following list of work is typical for our driving offence solicitors when it comes to building a guilty plea driving offences:
Before and During Court
- Initial consultation(s) to understand the strength of evidence and for disclosure
- Taking instructions
- Guidance on plea entry and implications
- Sentencing advice and mitigation advice
- Court process outline and guidance
- Court representation if required, and travel to and from court
Driving offences: factors affecting costs
No two driving offences are the same, and there are many factors that affect how much your case will cost.
Cost Variables Include
- Which offence(s) you are charged with and the number of the charges
- Whether your case takes place in the Magistrates Court or Crown Court
- The length of your case
- Whether or not third parties are forthcoming with information
- The strength of the evidence against you or in your favour
- Whether any witnesses, expert or otherwise, are required
- The extent of the correspondence required
- Changing your plea during the proceedings
- Instructing an experienced barrister
- Appealing your conviction and/or sentence
Driving offences: disbursements and third-party costs
There are no obligatory disbursements and third party payments for driving offences. Should a barrister be required, we will source a range of estimates for you and present them to you. We will always consult with you before incurring any third party costs.