This is a difficult question to answer, as legal matters vary in their complexity and the scope of the dispute, and of course this changes as the case progresses. Sometimes matters become more complex, sometimes (hopefully) they settle early and the cost of the case is limited because of sensible decisions and cooperation between the parties. These factors are hard to predict.
You will be charged for the solicitor’s legal services, at an hourly rate, and non-legal services (such as paralegal and clerical work) will be charged at a lower rate. You may also incur specific costs, such as filing fees, agent’s fees (for example – process servers), and search costs.
Your costs will be detailed in invoices, which will be issued regularly as the matter progresses, so that you can keep track of costs, and be fully informed about what work is done and how it is charged. We do not want you kept in the dark, or take you by surprise with unexpected costs or large bills at the end of the matter. Your legal costs can be expensive, and your concerns about costs are a factor in your decision-making. We encourage an open dialogue with our clients on costs, as well as all other aspects of your case.
We will provide you with a regular summary of costs incurred, and explain in detail the future anticipated costs, at each stage of the process, and before new steps are taken.
We encourage you to review your invoices in detail, and to raise any queries at any time.
Your understanding of your legal costs is an important aspect of your satisfaction in legal matters, and you need this information to make cost-effective decisions about the running of your case, and to maintain confidence in our services.
At Galloway Family Law, we can assure you that we will assist you to consider cost effective options for finalising your case, and to take all reasonable opportunities to settle matters by consent. This includes using alternative dispute resolution processes, and ‘thinking outside the box’ about settlement options.
In general, if a dispute is resolved quickly and through negotiation, costs will be less than if the matter proceeds to a hearing in court. Our aim is to give clients regular accurate advice about the process, the likely outcomes, the consequences of litigating and what each step is likely to cost them. Clients can then make their own decision about how they want to run their case.