Our Pricing and Fee Structure

INFORMATION REGARDING THE SOLICITORS WHO WORK FOR OUR FIRM

At Raegal Solicitors, we provide our clients with service that is carried out by solicitors and, in certain situations, paralegals or trainee solicitors. The degree and experience of the individual we assign to handle each subject depends on the nature and complexity of the case. As per the professional acceptance practise, our fee earners and solicitors are classed based on their experience level.

    • "Grade A" fee earners are solicitors who have worked as post-qualification practitioners for eight years or more.
    • Solicitors who have practised for four years but fewer than eight years after becoming qualified are categorised as "Grade B" fee earners.
    • "Grade C" fee earners are solicitors who have fewer than four years of post-qualification experience under their belt.
    • Trainee Solicitors and Paralegals are categorised as "Grade D" fee earners.

  • OUR CHARGES ON-TIME BASIS

    For the purpose of transparency, the hourly rates that our fee earners and solicitors are now paid are based on the prevailing rates that the Senior Courts Costs Office (SCCO) recommends. These rates can be seen at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/solicitors-guideline-hourly-rates. As an outer London-based solicitors’ practice, we now charge the following rates for our fee earners and solicitors in compliance with the SSCO's guideline rates:

    (i) Grade A Fee Earners; £282.00 p/hour.

    (ii) Grade B Fee Earners; £232.00 p/hour.

    (iii) Grade C Fee Earners £185.00 p/hour.

    (iv) Grade D Fee Earners £129.00 p/hour.

    The above hourly rates could alter in accordance with any adjustments that the SCCO decides to make.

    10% of the solicitor's or fee earner's hourly rate will be applied to any routine letters we send and phone calls we make on behalf of our clients. For instance, a regular letter sent by a "Grade A" fee earner working on a topic at an hourly rate of £267.00 will be charged £26.70. Letters longer than half an A4 page and phone conversations longer than six minutes will be billed according to the length of the call. As a case study, A "Grade A" fee earner earning £267.00 per hour will be paid £133.50 for writing a lengthy letter on a client's behalf if the letter takes 30 minutes to complete. The fee earner will be charged £66.75 for a fifteen-minute phone call made by the same individual.

    FIXED FEE

    When it is possible to estimate the amount of time that will be spent on a subject, we may be able to help a client by agreeing on a set price.

    This is going to be in simple cases, like helping a client submit an application to the Home Office, handling an easy appeal against a denial of permission to remain, or offering advice on a Settlement Agreement for a work-related issue; representing a client once at a Magistrates court hearing for an uncontested matter involving a guilty plea; or representing a client once in a family matter for a Child Arrangement order.

    Usually, our fixed fees are determined by estimating how long a case will take. Consequently, for instance, If the case takes less than two hours, there will be a set price of £500, and if it takes more than four hours, there will be a fixed fee of £1000.

    FIXED FEE AGREEMENT: WHAT'S INCLUDED?

    1. Regarding an Immigration/Asylum issue: Any fixed fee we agree would include:
    Attendance and Preparation: this includes getting instructions, taking into account the documents and evidence,

      • Taking statements from the client and any pertinent witnesses, and
      • offering advice on the merits of the case, such as what could happen with an immigration application to the Home Office or representation at a single hearing at the First-Tier Tribunal for an appeal related to immigration or asylum.

    2. What is Not Included in a fixed fee agreement:

      • Home Office application fees, NHS surcharge, Home Office biometric documents fee, Tribunal appeal fees, Expert and medical report fees, Barrister's fee. The cost of interpreters or translators for interpreting any kind of document into another language, etc.
      • Any further payments or charges associated with travel outside of London and the M25. Within London and the M25, there would be no fees associated with travel or spending.

    3. Key Stages for a sample Immigration I Asylum case:

    In a case involving immigration or asylum, the following are the main steps that often occur under a fixed fee agreement:

      • To get directions on the facts and case type, the client will meet with the fee earner or solicitor assigned to handle the matter.
      • We will advise the client after taking into account any papers that are available and any other evidence they may have submitted.
      • Describe to the client the Home Office application process or the Tribunal appeal process so that they are aware of what to anticipate.
      • To verify the client's instructions, send a Client Care letter as soon as you can, but no later than seven days.
      • Make plans to record any required witness statements.
      • Get more instructions from the client (if needed), respond to any follow-up questions, and complete any additional preparation work.
      • In the event that the case relates to an application submitted to the Home Office, the client will have the chance to review and approve the application's content before to its submission.
      • Should the matter refer to an appeal, the hearing package will be prepared and sent, along with a meeting with the client prior to the hearing and attendance at the client's testimony on the day of the hearing. The case and the time the matter is called will determine how much time is spent at the Tribunal. We will talk to the client on the hearing's outcome.
      • When the Home Office or the Tribunal render a decision, we will confer with the client to go over the results and, if required, decide on further measures.

    4. How long does it take to resolve an immigration or asylum case?

    Every case is unique. As a result, the time it takes to resolve each case will vary depending on its unique facts and nature. The time required for a case to be resolved will depend on a number of circumstances, such as how quickly the Home Office decides on a matter or how long it takes the Tribunal to schedule an appeal for hearing.

    We are unable to give a timeline for when the Home Office will decide on an application or when a Tribunal hearing will occur because these events are outside our control.