Transparency Statement

Transparency
Statement

  • This statement is made in accordance with our transparency obligations contained within the Bar Standards Board Handbook.
  • Amicus Chambers does not, at this time, undertake any Public Access work. This means that members of the general public cannot instruct a barrister at Amicus Chambers directly.
  • Professional clients, including Solicitors, can contact our clerking team using the telephone number and e-mail address provided on this website to obtain a no obligation quote for legal services and/or to instruct one of our barristers.
  • Our barristers are available to provide representation at Court hearings, advise clients in conference, and provide written opinions on all matters relating to Family Law in England and Wales.
  • Each barrister is individually registered with the Information Commissioners Office and a separate GDPR policy is available on this website.
  • When undertaking publicly funded family law matters, our barristers are remunerated under the Family Advocacy Scheme.
  • For privately funded family law matters, we offer both fixed fee and hourly rate models. Pricing models vary. They are commensurate with the skills and experience of our individual barristers and the complexity of the work.  Our pricing models are available on request from our clerking team.
  • Prior to accepting any instructions, our clerking team will agree the basis on which fees will be charged.
  • Where a barrister is instructed to provide a written opinion, the timeframe for the completion of the work will be agreed in advance. This will vary according to the complexity of the work. We aim to accommodate the requested timeframes of our clients wherever possible.
  • In the unlikely event that you experience a problem with any barrister or member of staff at Amicus Chambers, our Senior Clerk, Carol Thornton should be contacted via e-mail at carolthornton@amicuschambers.co.uk.  If any complaint is with regards to the Senior Clerk, please contact via e-mail helenrobinson@amicuschambers.co.uk.
  •  We will endeavour to resolve your complaint swiftly, and in a way which is satisfactory to you.
  •  Our full complaints procedure is available upon request to the clerking team.
  • In the event that our final response is unsatisfactory to you or the complaint has not been responded to after 8 weeks, you may complain to the Legal Ombudsman.
  • You can write to the Legal Ombudsman at:

“Legal Ombudsman

PO Box 6806

Wolverhampton

WV1 9WJ”

  • You can also contact the Legal Ombudsman via telephone: 0300 555 0333, and via e-mail: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk.
  • More information about the Legal Ombudsman is available on their website.
  • You must complain to the Legal Ombudsman either within six years of your barrister’s actions/failure to act, or no later than three years after you should reasonably have known there were grounds to complain.
  • You must also complain to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving your barrister’s final response to your complaint.
  • Decision data of Ombudsman’s decisions in the previous 12 months can be found here.
  • Alternatively you may also make a complaint to the Bar Standards Board which is the body responsible for overseeing the standards of the profession. Their policy can be found on their own website or they can be contacted on 020 7611 1444 and they will advise you on making a complaint.
  • The Bar Standards Board maintain a register of all practicing barristers, it is available here. This can be used to confirm that the person you are dealing with is authorised to practice law, as a barrister, in England and Wales.
  • This statement, and the remainder of the information provided on our website is available in alternative formats, from our clerking team, on request. If you require any information to be translated or adjusted to cater for a disability, please contact our clerking team to discuss a reasonable adjustment.
  • This statement was created on 06/05/2020 and will be reviewed annually. It is next scheduled for review on 06/05/2022.
  • Authorised and Regulated by The Bar Standards Board

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