No-Win, No-Fee Actions

• 01. Introduction

• Taking legal action against someone, for example, if you think they were responsible for injuring you, can be very expensive. With some kinds of case, you can use a system where you have to pay your legal fees only if you win your case. These are called...

• 02. The cost of taking legal action

• Taking legal action can be expensive as well as stressful. If you have a problem or dispute with someone and you want to take them to court, you should first talk to your solicitor or adviser to see if there are easier, quicker or cheaper ways of dealing...

• 03. What does 'no-win, no-fee' mean?

• Under a 'no-win, no-fee' agreement, your solicitor will take on your case on the understanding that if you lose, they will not get paid. But it is important to remember that there is more to the costs of a legal case than your solicitor's fees. And if you...

• 04. How do I know what I will have to pay?

• It is important to get a written estimate of all the likely costs from your solicitor before they start to work on your case. Remember that a 'no-win, no-fee' agreement removes some of the uncertainty and financial risk of taking legal action, but it...

• 05. How can I make sure I don't have to pay a big bill if I lose?

• To protect yourself from a big bill, you can take out insurance to pay for: your opponent's legal costs; and expenses for both you and your opponent. Your solicitor should tell you that you should take out insurance. They may offer you...

• 06. How does legal-expenses insurance work?

• There are two basic types of legal-expenses insurance. They are called 'before-the-event' and 'after-the-event' insurance and they work in different ways. After-the-event insurance An after-the-event policy is for when you are already in a dispute, and...

• 07. Terms used in legal actions

• Basic charges The hourly rate that most solicitors charge to do your legal work. Claim How much you are asking for in damages. Conditional-fee agreement A way of paying for your case, also known as 'no-win, no-fee'. Counterclaim When...

• 08. Further Help

• The Law Society phone: 020 7242 1222 Accident Line The insurance scheme for no-win, no-fee actions which is endorsed by the Law Society ...