If you can learn, you can adapt
The extension of the Fixed Recoverable Costs regime to nearly all fields of civil dispute, from 1st October ’23 is going to challenge many dispute resolution departments.
Solicitors long experienced in working with the limitations of costs in the Fast Track and Costs Budgeting in the Multi-Track, know the importance of front-end claim preparation.
Clients appreciate this work being done at the outset. It conveys greater confidence in clients over their lawyer’s capabilities in having their story heard. Less so later on, when they’ve already paid for work beyond that point and figured you’ve got a hold on things.
Law firms, I think, will need to go through a stage of exploration in what areas of dispute work clients are inclined to pay a lot more for lawyers to do on an hourly-rate basis, when they cannot anticipate recovering anything like the same level back from the losing side.
Firm’s whose dispute work may be affected by the initial uncertainties may find engaging a self-employed Solicitor Consultant with the skills to adapt, a more comfortable and cost-effective option.
I’ve a lifetime habit of self-learning. In recent years I’ve applied my litigation skills to civil dispute work in land, boundary disputes, property equity disputes and contentious trust claims, breach of contract claims and contentious probate law.
I’ve also gained basic certification and experience in contract and agreement drafting.
I trained for 4 years in Transactional Analysis psychotherapy and counselling, although, to date I’m not a qualified or practising therapist.
In future, maybe. For now, my legal work is part time, currently working for a couple of specialised civil dispute firms
Having written short stories and had travel articles published in yoga magazines in the distant past, I’m currently learning website content writing with a view to offering it as a service to law firms. I’m aiming for non-technical but informative primers to potential and present clients to make client engagement a collaboration.
Contact me about anything on your mind, especially at this time if you’re interested in blog content writing work. Email me at bruce@bruceturnersolicitor.com