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Private Clients

Solicitor fees, private funding and Legal Aid

Private representation gives you direct access to the Principal Solicitor, an agreed scope of work and complete discretion, for clients who want to instruct Theodorous on their own terms.

Discuss private instructionCall 0843 636 7687

Why clients choose to pay privately

Legal Aid is means-tested and, for many people, genuinely the right route. It is subject to eligibility rules, a contribution order may apply in some Crown Court cases, and some work falls outside its scope. Private clients choose Theodorous for direct, uninterrupted access to the Principal Solicitor throughout the case, complete discretion where reputation is a live concern, work that falls outside Legal Aid, and the ability to instruct us regardless of means.

How fees work

Some work is quoted as a fixed fee agreed in advance, particularly single-stage matters such as a police station attendance or a specific hearing, so you know the cost before anything starts. More complex or ongoing matters, such as a contested Crown Court trial or substantial civil litigation, are usually charged at an hourly rate, with a clear estimate given at the outset and updated as the case develops. You will always know which basis applies to your matter before you are asked to commit to anything.

No surprise bills

Scope is agreed before work begins, and you are told in advance if something happens that is likely to change the cost, whether that is an additional hearing, an expert report, or a case that grows in complexity. You should never be finding out what something cost after the fact.

Private and Legal Aid work are not mutually exclusive

Theodorous holds a Legal Aid Agency criminal contract and also acts privately, sometimes for clients who would qualify for Legal Aid but want work done that public funding does not cover. Which route makes sense depends on the case, the urgency and what matters most to you, and that is a conversation worth having honestly before you decide.

Private criminal fees

Private criminal work is charged either as an agreed fixed fee or at the Principal Solicitor's hourly rate of £579 + VAT. The figures below are typical starting points and ranges, not fixed prices. The fee for your case depends on the allegation, the volume of evidence, the number of hearings and the urgency, and is agreed with you in writing before any work starts.

WorkTypical fee
Police station or voluntary interview (preparation, disclosure review and attendance)from £2,000 + VAT
Magistrates' Court guilty plea and sentencefrom £2,000 + VAT
Magistrates' Court trial (preparation and trial; complex or multi-day trials with substantial digital, expert or disclosure work sit at the upper end)£5,000 to £30,000 + VAT
Work charged by the hour£579 + VAT per hour

What is included: taking your instructions, reviewing the disclosure and evidence, advising on plea, interview and case strategy, preparing for and attending the hearing or interview, and advising on the outcome and any appeal.

What is not included: disbursements such as counsel's fees, expert reports, interpreters and travel outside London. These are explained and quoted before they are incurred. VAT is charged at the current rate of 20%.

Key stages and timescales: advice before interview or first hearing; review of the prosecution case and disclosure; plea and case management; trial or sentence. A guilty plea is often dealt with at the first hearing. A contested Magistrates' Court trial is usually listed several months after the first hearing, depending on the court.

Who does the work: private criminal matters are handled or supervised by Paris Theodorou, Principal Solicitor, admitted in England and Wales in 2012 with more than 13 years' criminal defence experience.

Civil and commercial work

Civil and commercial matters, from contract disputes to injunctions, are conducted on a private fee basis, since Legal Aid is not generally available for this type of work. Fees are agreed on the same transparent basis as private criminal instructions, fixed where the work allows it, hourly where it does not.

Getting started

An initial conversation costs you nothing and commits you to nothing. Tell us what has happened, and we will give you an honest view of the options, the realistic cost, and whether private instruction is actually the right choice for your situation.

HOW FEES ARE BUILT

The right funding model depends on the work, risk and stage of the case

A useful fee estimate should explain not only the headline figure but what work is included, what can change the estimate and which external costs may arise. We therefore distinguish between fixed-fee work, hourly work, Legal Aid and risk-based civil funding rather than presenting one model as suitable for every matter.

Fixed fees

Fixed fees work best where the scope can be defined in advance: for example a conference, a particular hearing, a letter of representations or a straightforward stage of an undisputed civil matter. The retainer should identify what is included and what would trigger a further quote.

Hourly charging

Hourly charging is often more appropriate where the amount of evidence, number of hearings, opponent's conduct or procedural direction cannot be predicted reliably. Time is recorded and the estimate is reviewed as the matter develops.

Legal Aid

Criminal Legal Aid is a separate statutory funding system. Police-station advice is generally available free of charge, while court representation depends on the applicable eligibility rules. Public funding and private work should not be confused.

CFA, DBA and hybrid funding

Risk-based civil funding may be considered where merits, value, recoverability and proportionality justify it. A conditional-fee agreement, damages-based agreement or hybrid arrangement changes how the solicitor is paid but does not make court fees, opponent costs or disbursements disappear automatically.

What can change a quote?

  • the volume and condition of the papers, digital evidence or disclosure;
  • whether new allegations, parties, applications or counterclaims arise;
  • whether the case becomes defended or proceeds to trial;
  • the number and length of hearings and conferences;
  • whether counsel, an expert, process server, tracing agent or other third party is required;
  • urgent or out-of-hours work and unusually compressed court deadlines; and
  • enforcement or appeal work that was not part of the original scope.
Before substantive privately funded work begins, the applicable charging basis and scope should be confirmed in writing. Court fees and other disbursements are identified separately where they can be estimated.