Fitness to Practise Investigations and Tribunals
Acting for Individuals in Regulatory Matters

Below, we outline our pricing structure for representing individuals defending their professional standing against complaints or investigations initiated by their regulator or equivalent. Our pricing is based either on hourly rates, meaning the cost will depend on the amount of work we perform on your behalf, or on fixed fee pricing. Fixed fee arrangements cover all work up to the Case Examiner’s decision (or equivalent) on how to proceed with the matter, if at all.

Disposal

In most cases, we achieve a resolution before a hearing becomes necessary. We provide information on how we can reach a disposal and the likelihood of this outcome in relation to your individual case, depending on when you engage our services and the complexity of your matter.

The estimated pricing listed below may vary based on several factors. Some cases may become more complex, resulting in higher costs, which in certain situations may exceed the top of the estimate range. We would be happy to discuss your individual case and provide a personalised pricing estimate based on the unique circumstances. If you require more information, please feel free to contact us.

Alternative Funding

You may have insurance that covers legal costs. Depending on your policy’s terms (which we can review with you), you may not need to pay anything towards our charges, or you may need to cover a policy excess or any shortfall between our hourly rate and your policy’s coverage. If your insurer imposes a limit on the hourly rate they will cover, there may be room for negotiation based on the proposed limit and other circumstances. Additionally, if you are a member of a trade union or professional body, they may cover or contribute to your legal fees. We are happy to review and discuss any membership terms with you.

Hourly Rates

Our hourly rate is currently set at £250 (no VAT applicable). We guarantee that this rate will not increase during the course of a case. We review the hourly rate throughout the year to ensure competitiveness within the legal sector.

Hearings

Fitness to Practise Tribunal hearings typically last 3-5 days for a straightforward case. The length of the hearing depends on various factors, such as the case’s complexity and the number of witnesses. The estimated fees for engaging a barrister to handle advocacy range from £2,500 to £8,000 (excluding VAT) for a simple case. More complex cases require longer hearings and may involve higher costs.
For medium to high complexity cases, fees range from £8,000 to £20,000+ (excluding VAT).

These estimates do not include the cost of our attendance at the hearing. If we attend alongside the barrister, we will calculate our charges either on an hourly basis or as an agreed fixed fee.

Disbursements – Barrister’s Fees

If your matter proceeds to a hearing, we will usually instruct a barrister on your behalf. The barrister charges a Brief Fee, covering their preparation and the first day of the hearing. For hearings lasting more than one day, the barrister charges a “refresher fee” for each additional day. Barrister fees vary based on experience, and for complex cases, these fees may exceed the provided range.

Factors That Could Increase Case Complexity

Several factors may add complexity to your case, including:

• Complex preliminary issues like legal challenges to the validity of the fitness to practise investigation
• The need for more than one preliminary hearing to resolve procedural matters
• The volume of documents and how efficiently you provide them
• The need to make, consider, or defend applications for specific disclosure
• The necessity to review or provide multiple rounds of disclosure
• The number of witnesses, the time span of the alleged issues, and the evidence required from witnesses
• The complexity of the allegations
• The need to instruct expert witnesses

The estimated fees above include all work related to the following key stages of an investigation:

• Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the documents, and advising on the merits (which may be revisited as the case progresses)
• Preparing your submission
• Reviewing and advising on the case or the regulator’s response
• Exploring potential avenues for disposal if applicable
• Preparing for a Case Management Preliminary Hearing
• Exchanging documents with the opposing party and agreeing on a bundle
• Drafting and agreeing witness statements
• Preparing or reviewing a bundle of documents
• Reviewing and advising on the opposing party’s witness statements
• Agreeing on a list of issues, chronology, and/or cast list, if required
• Preparing for and attending the Final Hearing, including instructing the barrister