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Instructing Us

Instructing us

Our clerking teams are the friendly and professional liaison and administrative support for our clients and our barristers. They are the first point of contact when instructing our barristers.

  • If you are a professional or licenced access client, please contact the Clerking team leader for the relevant area of work. Click here for contact details in each area.
  • If you are instructing a barrister yourself through Public Access, please click here.

Our clerking teams have detailed knowledge of all our barristers and advise clients on their experience, expertise and suitability for particular cases or situations. Working with our barristers, we advise on availability, capacity, practical constraints, timing issues affecting any proposed work and alternative counsel if needed. We recognise that different kinds of legal business require different qualities and seek to match counsel to case both on expertise and personality.

We arrange, administer and support our barristers’ client work, from written opinions and advices to regular representation, to large-scale and long-term involvement in major cases, trials and arbitrations. We have specialist knowledge of Court and tribunal procedures and processes in the areas in which we work in the UK and internationally.

Estimates

Estimates and quotes for the charging basis and cost of an instruction or item of work are provided promptly on request to enable client decisions to instruct. We will ask for sufficient detail to be able to estimate accurately. If the scope of a matter and time required is unclear or complex, we will suggest that the barrister to be instructed reviews the case papers to give as accurate an estimate as possible. Reviews are free and confidential but no legal opinion or advice will be offered unless material to the quotation. Estimates are based on our assessment of the work required at the time of instruction but are subject to change if the scope or amount of work increases from the original.

Confirmation of instruction

All instructions are accepted subject to contract. On acceptance we reconfirm in writing the named barrister, the basis of instruction, agreed fees or charging arrangements and the barrister’s professional indemnity insurance.

If a chosen barrister cannot accept an instruction, reasons are given and all suitable and available alternatives offered.

Conflicts of interest

As independent practitioners, our barristers often represent opposing parties in the same dispute, while another Crown Office member may be the mediator, arbitrator or construction adjudicator. Chambers has information barriers to protect the confidentiality and individual interests of each party. Our systems for maintaining confidentiality are tested and effective.

Contractual terms

Unless otherwise agreed, instructions to members of Crown Office Chambers are accepted pursuant to COMBAR Terms and subject to Basis A (Solicitor Liability).

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