Pricing Transparency & Service Information Policy

Pricing Structure & Services in Motoring Cases

Who is this for?

This is designed to assist all clients seeking legal advice, help and representation and those motoring cases which can only be tried in the Magistrates’ Court but not in the Crown Court, (known as summary only matters).

This includes: 

  • Careless driving
  • Drink driving;
  • Drug driving;
  • Speeding;
  • Using your mobile phone whilst driving.
 

Brian Koffman & Co does not have a Legal Aid Franchise and all our work is conducted on a privately funded basis.

Other information

We will provide you with:-

  1. The total costs where possible of our fees where the work can be undertaken in a summary only motoring offence case, but where that is not possible, we will provide a range of costs.
  2. Details of disbursements which you might incur and which might include, for example, Forensic Expert - Drink Drive case.  These are in addition to our fees.
  3. How and when the fees should be paid.
Service

Brian Koffman & Co is a sole practitioner practice.  Brian Koffman has over 45 years’ experience in this field of work.

The cost of your case

It may not be possible to give you a precise cost of your case at the outset of a summary only motoring offence but it is possible to indicate the range of costs.  The reason for this is that every case is different and will depend upon a number of different factors, some of which are listed below (but there may be others)

  • Are you seeking just a single piece of advice where we can assess your options.
  • The amount of papers that we need to consider which are supplied by either the prosecution, the court or yourself.
  • Whether you plead guilty or not guilty and at what stage any guilty plea is entered.
  • The number of witnesses that we need to interview.
  • The number of statements and/or other documents that we need to prepare.
  • The number of hearing that may have to be undertaken and the nature of those hearings.
  • Whether the matter raises any unusual points of law.
  • Whether expert witnesses are instructed by either the prosecution or by us on your behalf.
 
Hourly rate

Brian Koffman is a Grade A Solicitor with over 45 years’ experience and his hourly rate is £225.00 per hour plus VAT (@ 20%)

This rate is for attendances, preparation and advocacy.  Travel and waiting are charged at half rate, plus disbursements.  Disbursements will typically include mileage and parking or public travel costs.

Letters and telephone calls are charged at 6 minute units at the above rate.

A typical example of dealing with a guilty plea for a drink driving offence would be as follows:

  • 2 ½ hours attendance/preparation including considering the evidence, taking your instructions and advising you about plea, sentence and procedure.
  • 2 hours attending/advocacy at court
  • 1 hour travel to and from court
 

No two cases are the same but the above is a simple illustration of what you might expect in addition to any incidental correspondence and telephone calls but to avoid uncertainty we would be happy to agree a fixed fee in advance if possible.

Time to pay

We believe that everyone should have access to high quality legal representation and if you have difficulties paying our fees immediately, we are happy to discuss stage payments on the basis that all payments agreed have been paid prior to the final hearing date.

Unforeseen circumstances

If an unforeseen circumstances arises which means additional work to that agreed, we will inform you of this and provide revised costs information.  An example might be where your case does not proceed on the date of hearing due to circumstances beyond our control.  In such an event, we will give you credit for any time saved in calculating the costs of any additional work.

No win no fee

For the avoidance of doubt, we do not undertake this work on a no win no fee basis.

Timescale

In summary only matters cases are typically completed within 1 - 6 months.