Many of our barristers accept instructions directly from members of the public, businesses and organisations under the Direct Access Scheme described below. This means you can instruct a barrister at 3 Hare Court without going through a solicitor or other legal intermediary first, which can save time and costs.
Importantly, individuals and organisations based overseas can also instruct our barristers directly, whether for disputes in England and Wales, international arbitration, or matters with a cross-border element.
Barristers are required to be qualified under the Bar Council’s Direct Access Scheme. You can find out more information on the Bar Council’s Direct Access pages or by reading the attached Public Access Guide for Lay Clients.
Our barristers can advise you on your legal position, draft documents, and represent you in court, tribunal or arbitration proceedings. We cover a broad range of work suitable for direct access, including commercial and contractual disputes, employment and regulatory matters, professional negligence, insolvency, personal injury and travel law.
If you are unsure whether your case is suitable for direct access, our practice management team can guide you through the process and match you with a barrister best suited to your needs. In some cases it may still be necessary to instruct a solicitor — for example, where extensive disclosure or case preparation is required — but we will always advise you clearly at the outset if that is the case.
The practice management team can be contacted to provide estimated fees, and will quote on either an hourly rate or fixed fee (brief fee / refresher) basis, subject to what is most appropriate for the case and cost effective for the client.
Fees will be calculated by reference to the amount of time reasonably required to supply the services and a reasonable hourly rate, taking into account all the circumstances of the case. The practice management team will be able to provide you with information on what specifically is required in order to prepare a meaningful estimate, and will endeavour to provide one as soon as possible, and in any event within 14 days.
Hourly rates will vary according to the seniority and experience of counsel, the complexity, and urgency of the case. Where we provide a fixed price for a piece of work we will seek not to exceed the amount we have quoted without prior client authority. On the majority of cases we will require payment of the fixed fee in advance of the work being carried out and/or delivered.
Our quotes are exclusive of VAT but all our barristers are VAT registered so you will need to account for this on any invoices. This will be set out in the letter of retainer.
Extra costs may include travel expenses, accommodation, copying charges and search fees. Insofar as these fees are payable by the barrister on the basis that we will recover them from you, we will agree them with you in advance wherever possible.
Court fees are payable direct to the court. Unless you specifically agree otherwise, where the barrister’s fee relates to a hearing, the barrister will be entitled to be paid that fee, irrespective of whether the hearing goes ahead.
Some estimated fees are set out below. For specific information about the pricing model, fees (and the circumstances in which they may vary) as well as additional costs and a description of the key stages of certain services, please contact our practice managers.
Under what is known as the licensed access scheme, our barristers can accept instructions from certain professional individuals and organisations licensed by the Bar Standards Board. All instructions received under the licensed access scheme will be accepted on the basis of the Bar Council’s Licensed Access Terms of Work. Further information on the scheme can be found on the Bar Standard Board’s website, including a list of licensees.
To discuss direct access work, please contact our practice managers at clerks@3harecourt.com or on +44 (0)20 7415 7800. All enquiries are treated in the strictest confidence.
DIRECT ACCESS - PERSONAL INJURY CLAIMS
Hourly rates range from £125 to £500 per hour. For claims more than £25,000 please contact the practice manager team.
Written advice £500 – £1,500
Advising in Conference £500 – £1,500
Drafting Particulars of Claim £500 – £1500
Drafting Letter of Claim £500 – £1500
Trial – 1 day (claim not more than £3,000) £500 – £1,000
Trial – 1 day (claim more than £3,000 but less than £10,000) £710 – £1,500
Trial – 1 day (claim more than £10,000 but less than £15,000) £1,070 – £2,000
Trial – 1 day (claim more than £15,000 but less than £25,000) £1,705 – £3,000
Table below are for claims under £25k; as per the Practice Direction 45, Table 1: rule 45.44 – amount of fixed costs in fast track.
| Complexity Band | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Where the value of the claim is not more than £3,000 | £619 | £619 | £619 | £619 |
| Where the value of the claim is more than £3,000, but not more than £10,000 | £1342 | £1342 | £1342 | £2168 |
| Where the value of the claim is more than £10,000, but not more than £15,000 | £1342 | £1342 | £1342 | £2168 |
| Where the value of the claim is more than £15,000 | £2168 | £2168 | £2168 | £2994 |
DIRECT ACCESS - EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNAL CLAIMS
Advising in Conference £500 – £2,000
Written advice £500 – £2,500
Preliminary hearing £750 – £2,000
Tribunal hearing £1,500 – £15,000 (brief fee varied depending on Tribunal length and complexity)
Refresher £600 – £2,500
Remedy hearing £750 – £2,500
DIRECT ACCESS - IMMIGRATION APPEALS
Advising in conference £350 – £1,500
Written advice on appeal £350 – £2,500
CMRH / Directions £500 – £4,500
Tribunal Hearing £750 – £8,000
Refresher £500 – £2,500
DIRECT ACCESS - WINDING UP PETITIONS
Advice on issuing or defending winding-up petition £500 – £1,250
Assistance with completion of forms and all necessary steps to take £500 – £1,250
Preparation for and attendance at court hearing £750 – £2,500
Get in touch
For any enquiries or further information please contact our clerking team on +44 (0)20 7415 7800 or via email: clerks@3harecourt.com
Please contact us either by telephone: +44 (0)20 7415 7800 or email: clerks@3harecourt.com
