What is Direct Access
You can instruct a barrister directly without going to the additional expense of engaging a solicitor as well. In practice this means that members of the public and companies can benefit immediately from our expertise and efficiency without intermediaries and added costs. Under the Direct Access scheme you only pay for the barrister and you know the cost up–front. You can also ‘switch’ to a barrister where you initially instructed a solicitor.
You can read more about instructing a Barrister direct on the Bar Standards Board website. You can also read the BSB Public Access Guidance for Lay Clients here.
What Can The 36 Group Do For You?
We give expert advice, draft documents and act as advocates on your behalf in courts, tribunals, arbitrations, mediations and any other situation where you are permitted to have someone speak on your behalf such as disciplinary proceedings. We are often asked to provide a confidential and discreet second opinion by individuals and businesses who already have a full legal team on board but just want to confirm that the advice they are receiving is correct.
At The 36 Group we provide help before as well as after any dispute. For businesses we can draft contracts, applications, standard terms and conditions, partnership deeds, share agreements and other documents for business purposes. We can also draft representations and applications to relevant bodies such as the UKBA and specialist tribunals. In personal situations we can help to draft pre–nuptial agreements, cohabitation or living together agreements and separation agreements, as well as trust documents.
We are also able to provide a litigation risk analysis by auditing your existing legal documents and workplace schemes and giving advice as to how we think they could be improved. In the long term this could be money well spent.
What Areas of Direct Access do The 36 Group Cover?
We are one of the largest sets in the country. With us you are likely to find a barrister specialising in the area of law that is the subject matter of your dispute. We have expertise in:
Employment
Family
Consumer and Regulatory Law
Commercial and EU Law
Immigration
Clinical Negligence
Personal Injury
Housing and Landlord and Tenant
Human Rights and Judicial Review
Education Law
Criminal Law
Extradition Law
Please refer to the specialist work areas elsewhere on our website to find out more about the expertise of our specialist teams and the types of work our barristers do.
How Can I Instruct a 36 Group Barrister?
This is easy. You simply need to contact one of our Practice Managers. Please call 020 7421 8000.
We aim to put you in contact with a barrister within 24 hours of your call and usually we manage to do so on the same day of your call.
Our Practice Managers have years of experience in helping our clients find the right barrister for them. They will have a preliminary discussion with you over the telephone or by Skype about your requirements and may wish to see some relevant copy documents from you before directing your case to the correct barrister. The 36 Group has modern scanning facilities and all our systems are integrated. You will be able to fax, email, scan, post or simply hand–deliver any documents to us.
Once we are clear as to your requirements, our Practice Manager will locate the right barrister for you. If this barrister agrees that your case is suitable for Direct Access, you and the barrister will agree the terms on which he or she is to carry out the work. At this stage you will also get a clear indication as to fees and time–scale for the completion of the work. These terms will be set out in a client care letter which will be sent to you for your signature.
You can also choose a barrister yourself. The Practice Manager will try to accommodate your preferences but sometimes our Manager may suggest a better match for your case. All discussions are aimed to ensure that you get the best representation possible.
How Much Will It Cost Me?
The main advantage of instructing a barrister directly is that you only pay for one lawyer and we charge a fixed fee for each piece of work. All fees are normally agreed with you in advance. For a quotation for legal services, or to get an idea of indicative fees, please contact us. All fees are subject to VAT.
In complex cases it may not be possible to agree the fee in advance. In these cases your barrister will give an estimate and he or she may also agree not to charge more than a certain sum for the work.
Our fees are representative of the excellence of the expert advice and representation we offer. We do not aim to be the cheapest, but we always strive to provide the best value for money.