We cover all types of driving matters including:
- Careless driving
- Dangerous driving
- Death by dangerous driving
- Drink driving / in charge
- Driving whilst disqualified
- Driving without insurance
- Drug driving - driving / in charge whilst unfit
- Early return of driving licence
- Failing to notify DVLA
- Failure to provide a specimen
- Mobile phone offences
- Speeding offences
- 12 points - totting up
We have an excellent record in securing acquittals and helping people keep their driving license. An accumulation of 12 points normally results in a loss of licence unless you can demonstrate exceptional hardship. We have regularly succeeded on this ground by producing the necessary evidence and legal arguments at Court.
We have a high success rate and often win our cases by casting doubt on the reliability of key scientific evidence and witnesses including Police Officers. Even when our clients plead guilty, we often are able to negotiate a reduction of the charge and basis of plea which can result in our clients keeping their licence. We are assisted by a team of barristers and experts who have a nationwide reputation in this area of law. Cases of dangerous and careless driving will often rely on evidence including tyre marks obtained from the road. We are often assisted by accident and reconstruction experts who are able to successfully cast doubt on the reliability of such evidence.
Private Fees for motoring offences
We will be able to help you to apply for Legal Aid in criminal proceedings if you are eligible. A large number of driving offences however is not covered by Legal Aid provisions. This includes driving a motor vehicle with excess alcohol, being drunk in charge of a vehicle, careless driving, failure to stop after an accident, driving whilst disqualified, speeding etc.
If you wish to instruct us on a private basis then please call us for a quote.
Our private rates are as follows:
- Partner (Costa Cantaris or Natalia Locke): £500 per hour + VAT
- Legal Executive (Mark Davies): £300 per hour + VAT
- Paralegal (Emily Darter or Timothy Locke): £150 per hour + VAT
In some cases we may instruct a barrister to represent you or an expert to prepare a report. Any disbursements, such as barristers' fees, expert reports etc. will be charged in addition to our fees - these will be discussed with you in advance, should it become relevant to your case.
We may be able to offer you a fixed fee for a face-to-face consultation and court representation, subject to initial assessment of the complexity of your case and the distance of the court from our offices.
We will charge a fee of £150+VAT for a 1-hour consultation with a paralegal and £300+VAT for a consultation with a partner or legal executive.
Once we have assessed your case, we may be able to offer the following fixed fees for representation in one of our local courts:
- £1200+VAT for a guilty plea involving representation of up to half a day at court. Each subsequent hearing, apart from Special Reasons and Exceptional Hardship hearings, will incur an additional fee of £1000+VAT.
- £2,200+VAT for a summary trial involving up to one day at court. Each subsequent day of trial will incur an additional fee of £500+VAT (Full fee of £2,200+VAT will be charged even if you plead guilty on the day of trial). Each additional hearing, apart from Special Reasons or Exceptional Hardship hearings, will incur an additional fee of £1000+VAT.
- Special Reasons or Exceptional Hardship hearings will incur a fee of £1,500+VAT
The above fees include up to 2 hours of attendance and preparation, consideration of the evidence in the case, obtaining your instructions, providing oral advice and attending a single hearing in the Magistrates' Court.
If we agree to take on your case on a private basis, we will take your instructions in relation to the allegation(s), obtain disclosure from the Prosecution, explain the court procedure and discuss the evidence with you, answer any questions you may have, prepare the case for trial and represent you in court. We will discuss the outcome of the case with you after the hearing.
The above fees do not include obtaining witness statements (we charge £100+VAT per witness), instruction of expert witnesses (quote will be provided separately), site visits, bail hearings and appeals to the Crown Court. Fees in relation to these will be discussed with you separately should it become necessary in your case.
