Rougemont Chambers FAQ's
To the left is a list of “Frequently asked Questions” which may help you to decide whether you want to instruct a barrister from Rougemont Chambers.
What type of work do you do?
We practice in the following areas: Commercial Law, Education
Law, Employment Law, Housing Law, Insolvency Law, Judicial Review, Landlord
and Tenant Law, Local Government Law, Mediation of Legal disputes, Personal
Injury disputes, Planning Law, Prison Law, Probate matters, Trusts, Family
Law and Crime.
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Why should I instruct you?
We are the leading chambers for Civil law in the West Country
(Devon, Somerset and Cornwall). We work quickly and efficiently. When we
take on a case, we will give you a time scale for the work we are doing
and we will stick to it.
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How do we contact you?
Telephone 01392 20 84 84 and our clerks (David, Sam, Lisa and Harry)
can put you straight through to your barrister if they are available
or arrange for them to call you back, which they will usually do within
24 hours. Alternatively you can write to them at Rougemont Chambers, 8 Colleton
Crescent, Exeter, Devon, EC4Y 7AS or e-mail clerks@rougemontchambers.co.uk .
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How do I know which Barrister to Use?
You may have had a particular barrister recommended to you,
or you may have instructed a barrister previously who you would like to
instruct again. We will discuss your preferences with you, to ensure that
you are instructing the right person. If you do not know who to instruct,
the clerks will have a preliminary discussion with you to identify the
nature of the case and the seniority of barrister that it is likely to
require. The clerks will then put forward the names of those barristers
who may be able to assist you, along with an estimate of fees, which may
vary depending on the seniority of the barristers concerned.
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Do you only work in the West Country?
We work mainly in the West County, although we are willing to
work anywhere in England and Wales and very regularly do so. For advisory
work or other written work, (bearing in mind electronic communications)
it makes little difference where the dispute or parties are based.
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What are your charges?
Our fees will vary depending on the seniority of the barrister,
the nature and complexity of the work and sometimes, the financial amount
in issue in the proceedings.
We encourage transparency so far as our fees are concerned.
Our clerks will always quote either an hourly rate or fixed total sum before
taking on a piece of work. If we are asked to advise on a specific problem,
we will usually be able to give a definite fee in advance. For matters where
the amount of time we spend will partly depend on factors beyond our control,
we may only be able to give an estimate. Where appropriate, the clerks will
agree that the work will be capped at a maximum sum, that will not be exceeded
without your agreement, regardless of whether the work takes longer than
we originally envisaged.
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Do you accept no win/no fee work?
Yes, after we have had a chance to review the case and properly
access the risk. There will be occasions where we will not be willing to
act under a Conditional Fee Agreement because the merits of the case do
not justify a no win/no fee arrangement, or because the amount of damages
recoverable would be too small to warrant the use of counsel.
We are flexible in our fee arrangements and when circumstances
dictate, we can enter into an “end of case agreement” whereby
we accept that we will not get paid until the conclusion of the case.
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There is a very discrete matter on which I require specialist
advice. However, this does not justify the cost of a full, formal opinion.
Can you help?
Chambers has adopted the DELS (Devon and Exeter Law Society)
Scheme, whereby you can instruct one of our barristers to advise by telephone
or informally by e.mail for a fixed fee of £50 plus vat. This scheme
is only suitable for those matters where the work is likely to be completed
within around 30 minutes.
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Do you accept cases funded by a Public Funding Certificate?
Yes.
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Will my chosen barrister always be available?
Most barristers spend a significant amount of their working
time in court. This means that we will not always to available to take
your calls or respond immediately to your enquiries. We do undertake to
respond to you at the first opportunity and if there is likely to be a
delay, the clerks will inform you of this.
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Do we instruct you or your chambers?
All practising barristers work independently rather than in
partnership. Members of chambers pool expenses rather than fees and provide
practical and professional assistance to each other. If any of them were,
for instance, double booked, the clerks would normally suggest that someone
else from chambers would cover that work.
All barristers in chambers accept publicly funded work.
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Are you willing to travel to our office / our client`s premises?
All barristers in chambers are flexible so far as travelling
is concerned. We are happy to hold meetings and conferences at a location
and a time that suits you and your client and we will always try to minimise
our travelling expenses.
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I am still not sure about who to instruct or what they will need
from me. How can you help?
Chambers policy is that its Members will normally make themselves
available to you for an informal preliminary telephone discussion without
any obligation on your part. All we ask is that, in advance, you provide
us with the names of the parties involved, for conflict-checking purposes.
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