LITIGATION

Unfortunately in a world as complex as ours disputes do arise and the parties concerned will frequently benefit from the advice of lawyers. Contrary to the popular impression of lawyers, at Percy Short & Cuthbert it is always our aim to resolve a dispute as quickly and economically as possible. We usually advise that settlement negotiations should be attempted and this can sometimes be undertaken by mediation or other methods of alternative dispute resolution. In some cases court proceedings are necessary but the vast majority of cases are eventually resolved by agreement. For further information relating to alternative dispute resolution please read our information sheet on the subject or contact us for further details.

We have wide experience of civil disputes including debt claims, partnership and business disputes, trust, probate and inheritance claims, building disputes, personal injury claims, landlord and tenant disputes, nuisance, negligence and property disputes.

Funding

Public funding is not available for a wide range of civil disputes. In such cases if a client cannot afford to litigate we may be prepared to act on a conditional fee basis if he or she does not have the benefit of legal expenses insurance. We can also arrange after the event insurance to provide cover against liability for the costs of the opposing party if your case is unsuccessful. You should check your insurance policies to ascertain if legal expenses cover is provided.

For privately paying clients we generally charge for our work on the basis of the time spent on the matter and we will provide details of our charging rates when we are instructed. We will also endeavour to give an estimate of the total cost of taking a case to a conclusion but this can never be more than an estimate because so much depends on the attitude of the other party and cases can develop in unexpected ways.

In some low value cases, in particular disputes involving less than £5,000 which, if defended, are referred to the small claims track in the County Court, a litigant will not normally recover his costs even if his case is successful. In such cases it is generally not economic for us to provide a full service but we can give advice on procedural and other issues.

For personal injury cases we offer an initial free interview. For other cases we offer an initial interview for up to 30 minutes at a cost of £30 plus VAT.

For further information about litigation costs please read our information sheet on the subject or contact us for further details.

If you wish to consult us please contact Bill Boyes on (020) 7700 0265 or bill@percyshort.co.uk or David O’Brien on (020) 7700 0265 or david@percyshort.co.uk. Initial advice cannot be given on the telephone because most cases involve the consideration of documents and it is important to meet to try to ensure that you have confidence in us and we have confidence in you and your case.