Direct instruction, where appropriate.

Scope of work

Alexander considers Public Access instructions across the core areas below. The precise work he may accept depends on the nature and complexity of the matter, the client's ability to manage the permitted procedural responsibilities, conflicts, availability and an individual Public Access suitability assessment.

1. Company, directors' duties and shareholder disputes. Advice, drafting, conferences and advocacy concerning company control, ownership, governance, fiduciary obligations, unfair prejudice, derivative claims and disputes between shareholders or directors.
2. Contentious insolvency and restructuring. Advice and representation concerning statutory demands, winding-up and bankruptcy petitions, disputed debts, validation orders, applications to restrain presentation or advertisement, office-holder claims, antecedent transactions and related hearings.
3. Commercial litigation. Advice, drafting, conferences and advocacy in substantial contractual, corporate and financial disputes, where the proposed work is suitable for direct instruction.
4. Civil fraud and asset recovery. Advice and representation concerning deceit, misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, tracing, asset preservation and recovery, including applications for interim relief where the instruction can properly be accepted under the Public Access scheme.
5. Cross-border, offshore and arbitration-related matters. Advice and advocacy where disputes, judgments, parties or assets span jurisdictions, and in suitable arbitration-related work, often in coordination with solicitors, overseas lawyers or local counsel.

Important limitation: conduct of litigation

Alexander is not authorised to conduct litigation. His work is therefore limited to legal advice, drafting, conferences and advocacy.

Acceptance of a Public Access instruction is subject to a solicitor or other authorised litigator being instructed wherever the matter requires conduct-of-litigation tasks. These may include issuing or filing proceedings or applications, serving documents, corresponding formally with the court or other parties, managing the proceedings and ensuring compliance with procedural requirements and court orders.

Where no solicitor or authorised litigator is instructed, Alexander will accept the matter only if, after assessing its nature and complexity, he is satisfied that the client can properly undertake any permitted procedural and administrative responsibilities. Public Access is not suitable for every matter.

Indicative fees

Hourly work is normally charged at £400–£500 plus VAT. Advocacy and hearing fees are commonly £5,000–£10,000 plus VAT per day, but vary depending on complexity and location. Fixed fees are often available case by case. Urgent or out-of-hours work may attract an enhancement. All quotations exclude VAT, which will be added.

Quotations

Professional, licensed-access and lay clients may contact Enterprise Chambers to request a quotation. A quotation will be provided where sufficient information has been supplied and Alexander would be willing and available to undertake the work, subject to his professional obligations. It will be provided within a reasonable time and in clear, readily understandable terms.

A quotation does not amount to acceptance of instructions and may cease to apply if the scope, assumptions or information materially changes. Instructions are accepted only by written confirmation.

Possible additional costs

Depending on the matter, additional third-party costs may include court fees, the Official Receiver's deposit, process-server or advertisement costs, experts, transcription, copying, travel and accommodation, overseas lawyers or local counsel, and the fees of a solicitor or authorised litigator. These are not included in Alexander's fees unless expressly stated and will be identified or estimated where reasonably possible. Current court fees and deposits may change and should be checked before proceedings are commenced.

Check current HMCTS civil and insolvency court fees →

Typical stages

1. Initial enquiry with party names, a neutral summary, relevant documents, the relief sought and all known deadlines.
2. Conflicts, availability and Public Access suitability assessment.
3. Identification of any need for a solicitor or other authorised litigator.
4. Written quotation identifying scope, pricing basis, assumptions and anticipated delivery.
5. Written acceptance and agreement of responsibilities and terms.
6. Secure receipt and review of complete papers.
7. Advice, drafting, conference, preparation or advocacy within the agreed scope.
8. Any post-hearing work expressly included in the instruction.

Indicative timescales

All references to days mean working days in England and Wales. A sufficiently detailed enquiry is ordinarily acknowledged within 3–5 working days; conflicts and suitability are usually assessed within 2–5 working days after sufficient information is received. Written advice and substantial drafting are ordinarily completed within 5–10 working days after acceptance and receipt of complete papers.

Urgent work may be completed sooner by agreement. Multi-day hearings, annual leave and other substantial professional commitments may affect these estimates. Availability and the agreed delivery date will be confirmed before instructions are accepted, and material changes will be communicated where practicable.

Urgent insolvency deadlines

Insolvency matters frequently involve short and strict deadlines. For example, an application to set aside a statutory demand served on an individual in the United Kingdom will ordinarily need to be filed within 18 days of service. Clients should seek advice promptly.

Sending an enquiry does not constitute acceptance of instructions, suspend a deadline or create a barrister-client relationship. Alexander cannot accept responsibility for a deadline unless the instruction has been expressly accepted in writing and responsibility for the relevant work has been agreed.

Before sending information

Do not send confidential, privileged or extensive case materials before conflicts, availability and suitability have been checked. An enquiry does not create a barrister-client relationship or amount to acceptance of instructions.

Public Access guidance

The Bar Standards Board publishes guidance explaining how members of the public may instruct a barrister directly and the respective responsibilities of barrister and client.

Read the BSB Public Access Guidance for Lay Clients →