About Us

The terms on which our members and working pupils offer their services to authorised professional clients, in the absence of express agreement to the contrary, are set out in The Standard Contractual Terms For The Supply Of Legal Services By Barristers To Authorised Persons 2020 and Contractual terms for civil (non-family) legal aid work.

Details of the Terms of Business will be included in the acknowledgement letter on receipt of briefs and instructions.

Our experienced and approachable team of clerks have the knowledge and skills to direct professional and lay clients immediately to the appropriate members of our team for any particular case, depending on its complexity and value.

Generally, in privately funded matters, our barristers work on hourly rates and fixed fees.  The fees, whether hourly or at fixed rates, may vary depending on, for example, the nature and complexity of the case, volume of paperwork, whether any urgency and lateness of instruction, seniority of the barrister requested, the venue and level of the proceedings and duration of any travel. Travel to Courts outside London will attract an additional charge depending on location.  Please contact our Clerking Team in order to receive a quotation (see contact details below).

Timescales for completing the case will also depend on a similar range of factors to that above, for example the nature and complexity of the case, the stage and level of the proceedings where relevant, the volume of paperwork, the availability of the barrister/s you wish to instruct, whether any urgency and lateness of instruction.

Cases that qualify for legal aid will be billed under the legal aid regulations and in accordance with Legal Aid Agency guidance and practice.

Please advise if your case is exempt from VAT and on what basis, as VAT will usually be charged on all fees unless you notify us otherwise.

On direct/public access cases, we charge an administration fee of £25 plus VAT for administrative services provided, including photocopying, printing up to 200 pages (black and white only). We charge a further fee of £10 plus VAT (£12 in total) for every further 100 pages of printing.

We are happy to provide fee estimates in advance of work being undertaken and agree a timeline for the delivery of the work.

Please contact our clerks on 0207 353 6802 to obtain a quotation for legal services.

For more information in relation to Direct Access fees, please visit the Direct Access page for more information and to complete the enquiry form here. Once this form is completed and received by Chambers, one of our Clerks/Barristers will contact you in order to provide you with a quote.

We welcome feedback on all areas of our service.  If any aspect has fallen short of your expectations, we would like to know as soon as possible

Please note that Chambers will only consider complaints that are raised within six years of the act or omission complained about.  Details of our complaints procedure can be read here. Please submit your complaint in writing to complaintsofficers@goldsmithchambers.com

The Bar Standards Board (BSB) Barristers’ register can be accessed here.

You may complain directly to Chambers or the BSB without involving your solicitor.

You must complain to the Legal Ombudsman either within 6 years or your barristers actions/failure to act, or no later than 3 years after you should reasonably have known there were grounds to complain.

You must also complain to the Legal Ombudsman within 6 months of receiving your barrister’s final response to your complaint.

This information is available in alternative formats and/or hard-copy upon request. Please contact us on 0207 353 6802.