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Costs

McCartan Turkington Breen offer a range of payment options across our wide catalogue of legal services. Our advice and approach are tailored to address client’s specific needs and circumstances, ensuring that the appropriate remedy is obtained at a proportionate cost. We present the options best suited to you, the area of law and your individual requirements during a free no obligation initial consultation.

Legal Fees

As a firm of well-regarded and trusted solicitors, we remain transparent and upfront about our fees. You will not be faced with unexpected or hidden fees and will always know how much something costs ahead of time. Some frequently asked questions and popular payment options are as follows; however, this is not an exhaustive list.

Initial consultations

All initial consultations are free of charge, allowing an opportunity to assess and advise on your potential case whilst also allowing you to determine if McCartan Turkington Breen is the right legal practice for you without having to commit. These consultations are confidential and there is no commitment to pursue your matter with us following one. They are brief and you are limited to one.

The rule of thumb in litigation

In litigation, the normal rule is that the losing party pays the legal costs of the winning party. This is also what usually happens when a case is settled outside of court, even if it settled without admission of liability. If a case proceeds to Court, the Courts can usually be expected to order the loser to pay the winner’s legal costs. However, this is entirely at the discretion of the Court.

No Win No Fee in Northern Ireland

The Law Society of Northern Ireland, our governing body, does not permit its members to operate using conditional fee agreements, more commonly referred to as no win no fee arrangements. No win no fee has been popularised in Northern Ireland by the advertisements of claims management companies in England and Wales that air nationally. Although the name no win no fee sounds like an attractive proposition, it is a topic of contention in legal circles and some experts claim that it may have negative consequences on clients’ access to justice should the case be deemed high risk and low value. When a case is won or settled, operators of the no win no fee arrangement might go on to seek a percentage of the awarded damages. In place of no win no fee, we offer a range of payment options designed to minimise costs and maximise compensation. We can discuss the option best suited to you during your initial free consultation.   

No Win No Fee in the Republic of Ireland Explained

In the Republic of Ireland, unlike Northern Ireland, the fee arrangement of no win no fee is common practice. It is often referred to as no foal no fee. In unique circumstances, we are able to offer this arrangement when acting on behalf of a litigant in the Republic of Ireland. However, it is often unnecessary as other more attractive arrangements can be made, depending on the individual circumstances of the client and case.

Fixed fee

Some areas of law that we practice are served well by a fixed-fee model. For example, this works for several conveyancing services. However, due to the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the legal system and the other sectors that satellite it, it is often the case that fixed fee billing is not possible. Despite this, in the interest of keeping things simple for clients, we offer a fixed fee when it is appropriate to do so.

Legal Aid

In some instances, you might be entitled to Legal Aid. It is paid through three different schemes: advice and assistance, civil legal aid and criminal legal aid. Your solicitor will discuss this with you and apply for it on your behalf if appropriate to do so. Legal Aid is means-tested. You are automatically entitled to Legal Aid if you have been arrested and require representation during a police interview. Visit NI Direct to learn more about Legal Aid.

Insurance

In some instances, we are able to organise an insurance policy. This is called after the event insurance or ATE insurance. These policy types are taken out after a dispute in order to protect against the risk of having to pay your and your opponent’s legal cost and expenses if you lose your case.

Pro bono

Pro bono is a Latin phrase meaning for the public good. At times, we carry out our professional service for free as part of a promotion, partnership agreement or as part of our wider Corporate Social Responsibility activities. In addition, we offer all enquiring members of the public a free consultation. 

Corporate law

We bill corporate clients by the hour and offer some fixed fee arrangements depending on the specific corporate law service required. We pride ourselves on finding the most efficient remedy to clients’ legal problems and at a proportionate cost. 

Additional costs

Depending on your case type and the circumstances of the case, you may incur costs in addition to solicitor fees, known as disbursements. Some common examples of these would include Court fees, expert witness fees, land registry fees and barrister fees. We discuss these with clients in detail before any commitment is made.

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