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LITIGANTS IN PERSON
The Self Representation Packages.
Why not representing yourself?
Having experienced litigation myself in the past, I now wish, someone had told me about the direct access scheme and how it works. Moreover, I also wish I had used it to prepare and represent myself. This would have saved me a lot of stress and legal costs, opposed to paying expensive hourly rates to a solicitor.
Having said the above, I also appreciate, direct access may not be for everyone and some people do need a solicitor as many people may not be able to make legal arguments like lawyers or represent themselves.
Through all the years I have practiced, I have been amazed, how many people have represented themselves and won in court. Therefore, do not overlook this option. They have come to me before their hearing and had a series of consultations on various topics and managed to effectively present their case once they have been advised how to.
A common trend I experience is, when a case is about to start at court, clients seek representation at the last moment. What they do not realise is, they are asking someone else to understand and absorb all of the intricacies within their case in just a few days, or a week which may have ran on for months to years, How is this possible I ask? Further there are many risks associated to this strategy in my view as listed below;
- You will spend a lot of money (hundreds of thousands of pounds).
- You will run the risk of losing if the case is not fully understood by your new representative.
- You will more than likely be unhappy about the fact that your representative did not get to grips with the facts and possibly want to complain about them which will be a further stress on you.
- You will more than likely be unhappy with the outcome seeking an appeal which will cost more money.
Therefore, if you are at this stage (or even earlier in your case), in my view you are the best person to represent yourself if you can think you can stay calm, reasonable and have good admin and orgainsational skills.
What does this mean?
In short, this means representing (acting for yourself). You will be known as a litigant in person. Many people now chose to take advise from me beforehand and represent themselves in court to save expensive legal fees and the risks associated above, which I fully support. Having been a teacher, I pride myself on being able to educate litigates at the same time as advising them on how to present their case themselves.
The benefit of representing yourself.
One of the biggest savings, will be cost. If you are able to write letters, send emails and make calls and act reasonable with the other side and in court, this is an option you may want to consider. One of the biggest costs in litigation can be the administration of the case, which eats into the budget clients have (or may not have). For example, routine correspondence and communication such as filling forms, or taking/making calls can add to these costs, especially if you hire a solicitor. This is why Solicitor costs can become very expensive in comparison to us Direct Access Barristers. If you can do all of these tasks yourself, why not represent yourself and save this money from the start. especially for the key parts of your case which may require legal advice? I always say, you are the best person who knows your case and papers inside out.
Are there any drawbacks of representing yourself?
No, although it can be daunting going to court alone without a lawyer and the words/language used can be intimidating. However if you are competent and confident, these fears can be overcome quickly by instructing me for the LIP - self representation package. Many of my clients feel very happy and content once I have explained what they need to do and be aware of and how to present their case.
When to consider this option
Consider this option right from the start. Its is always worth starting off representing yourself if you are considering this option. You will realise as the case progresses, whether you can manage it or not. It is also worth considering this option if you have a limited budget for your legal fees. What you need to realise is, there will be a series of hearings before the main hearing (which no one will tell you until you start the process), so, it is best to spend your money wisely and save it for the main hearing if you think you want to be represented for that. Do not use all your legal fees in one go and then run out of money.
Litigant in person - self representation package.
This is one of the most cost effective and comprehensive packages I offer. In these meetings, you get 2 hours of time. whereby I will go through up to 50 pages of your documents. I will then spend two hours with advising on how to represent yourself. If you need more time, you can simply book another session yourself.
If you are someone who has not yet started the court process and contemplating what to do, I always encourage people to have a consultation first to understand the position of your case. I have written an article on this which can be found here; Place your case - Benefits of a direct access counsel conference. - Lexology
To book one of the reduced fee options, please click here: Book Online for Reduced Fee Options | LAW
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