Deborah Nelson

Family Law 

 

 

Terms and Conditions – Deborah Nelson

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​I work three days a week on a Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.  I can offer services outside of these hours, including evening by advance agreement. I aim to respond to your emails within a reasonable time frame during my working week.  If something is urgent  and cannot wait during office hours on a Tuesday or Friday please text me. 

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My services are provided on a paid basis, at an hourly rate (unless there is an agreed fixed fee) of £90 per hour for such matters as: 

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• ​Reading documents, such as Cafcass Reports, Financial Statements and Court Orders

• Writing Letters, Documents and Statements

• Guidance on how to best present your case to the court or Cafcass

• Guidance on how to establish a positive relationship with your Cafcass social worker

• Guidance on Strategies and Tactics

• Replying to your text messages and emails

• Zoom, Skype or Telephone Sessions

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​​For any new clients, I may need to see your documents in advance to give an estimate of the time required to complete the tasks you request to be completed.   I ask for a payment in advance and if the tasks take longer than estimated (as the documents are more complex in content than first outlined) then I will contact you to agree an amount to complete the work.

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I require a payment on account of my services and that depends upon the nature of the work.  I invoice monthly and any payment on account is deducted from the monthly invoice.

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No refunds are given for cancellations within 48 hours (weekends excluded) of the day of a consultation.   Payments to book a consultation online are non-refundable within 48 hours of the booking.  

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Deposits are required to reserve my support at your court hearing are date specific.   To book my support for your court hearing a payment in advance of £100 is required which secures the date.   Once the deposit is paid, the remaining fee is payable 7 days prior to the hearing date.

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Deposits are non-refundable. They are paid to book specific dates in my diary and I will subsequently turn away bookings on that date from other clients. If you change your mind after paying a deposit for a specific date and notify me you will not need my services, I reserve the right to take further bookings on that day.

If your court hearing is postponed or rescheduled after you pay the deposit, less than 14 days before the court hearing the deposit is non-returnable and a new deposit for the new date is required.    If more than 14 days ahead, I will transfer the deposit to the new date.

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I reserve the right to terminate or suspend the Legal Consultation/McKenzie Friend service at any time and for any reason.

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I will, at all times provide support in a respectful, honest, transparent manner. I expect to be treated in a similar way by my clients.   If you are unhappy about the service that I provide then please initially raise this with me either by telephone on in writing.   Whilst I am not a Practising Solicitor I still adhere to the ethics and guidance set by the Law Society. 

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When emailing me, or booking my online services you acknowledge you have read these stated terms and conditions and you agree that this is the basis on which I provide my service.

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I am a Non-Practising Solicitor, so I do not hold a practising certificate.  I have worked in Family Law for over 30 years.  I qualified as a Solicitor in 1999 and practised as a Solicitor before I decided to offer my service as a Legal Consultant/McKenzie Friend.  I remain on the roll of Solicitors, however, without a practising certificate I cannot and do not hold myself out as offering my services as a Practising Solicitor.   I provide options, guidance, and support for you to represent yourself.  I do not offer advice as a Solicitor so the guidance and support I am providing comes from my extensive experience in Family Law.   I am not personally responsible or liable for decisions made by you, the court, or other parties.   I will at times suggest that specific advice is obtained from a Solicitor or Barrister as to the merits of proceeding or where it is outside my area of expertise.

 

 

Signed:                                                                                        Dated:

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