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Simple Solutions

Virtual Legal Back Office

I have a small number of clients who return to me regularly for advice. By getting to know them and their businesses, I can advise them quickly and efficiently and this keeps my fees reasonable and my advice focused.

An Honest Approach

If I believe that you are better advised by a different solicitor or a full-service law firm, then I will be honest about that and can help you find the right advice. Any time spent finding the right advice for you will be charged at a lower hourly admin rate.

Some of the matters I have advised on recently

Contracts terms (B2B & B2C) Confidentiality agreements Consultancy agreements Employment contracts General property matters Consumer contracts Wills Powers of attorney

What my clients say

"Francis has been wonderfully conscientious and thorough in all my dealings with him. He’s very efficient and works quickly and above all he really cares."

Tilly Jewellery Business Owner

"We were absolutely delighted with the legal services Francis Winand has provided us. He is very knowledgeable, extremely thorough, and was a pleasure to deal with. We would have no hesitation in recommending him to others."

Pete An International Yacht Delivery Company

"Francis has prepared new contracts and policies for the Academy, including the staff handbook. He has been a pleasure to work with from the off - always patient, thorough and wholly professional. I look forward to working with him again and highly recommend his services."

Will A charity providing training in traditional boat building and furniture making skills

How I Advise You Progression of a Typical Matter

Initial Conversation

I discuss the matter with you in general terms to check that I can advise you. I never charge for time spent discussing this.

Contractual Terms

Provided we have decided that I am able to help you, I then send you a client care letter and my terms of business.

The client care letter sets out the most important terms, which include the scope of work which we are proposing I will carry out for you, my fee quote and the time I anticipate it will take for me to complete this work.

The terms of business are the more general, standards terms which do not tend to change from one client to another

My fee quotes are valid for a reasonable time, but not more than twenty business days.

Once you return the signed client care letter to me, a contract exists between us and I begin to work on your matter as agreed.

Price of Service

The price of my service is my fee plus any disbursements.

My standard hourly fee is £100 (including any VAT), but I normally work to an agreed estimate.

I also charge you for any disbursements which I have incurred on your behalf, inclusive of any VAT. Examples of disbursements are third party fees, postage and printing.

Communication

I communicate closely with you throughout, so that you always know how the matter is progressing.

Invoicing

I normally invoice at the end of a matter, however, I may send you interim invoices if the matter involves a substantial amount of work, or advice over a prolonged period of time.
I may charge you an amount on account initially.

Important Information

Most Important for You

I practise without indemnity insurance and so you are not protected to the SRA's minimum insurance requirements.

If things go wrong, the maximum you can recover from me is, in relation to that matter only, any fee already paid by you, plus 25% of the agreed fee for that matter, plus any disbursement which you have paid to me.

Authorisation/Regulation

I am approved by the SRA (Solicitor’s Regulatory Authority) to practise as a freelance solicitor. This means that, whilst I am regulated by the SRA, I am not an authorised legal practice under the definitions of the SRA. I practice under the SRA exemption of a 'freelance solicitor not providing reserved legal services'.

This means that:
■ I work alone, in my own name and so my capacity to take on large workloads at short notice may be limited.
■ I cannot advise on some high risk areas of law (see ‘what I cannot advise on’ below)

VAT

I am not currently registered for VAT, however, if I did register for VAT then any fee quote would not change, fee quotes are always inclusive of VAT.

No Client Account

I do not run a client account, so I cannot hold funds for you and I can only accept money from you in payment for my fees and disbursements.

What I cannot advise you on

I am not authorised to advise on the following ‘reserved legal activities’:

■ advice on a dispute, including representing you in court
■ Representing you as a conveyancer for buying or selling interests in property
■ probate activities
■ notarial activities
■ administration of oaths

Professional rules I must observe

SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors (click here to view)

Right of cancellation for consumers

Consumers have a 14 day cancellation period and can normally cancel service at any time in the first 14 days without charge, however, in such cases I am not allowed to start work during those 14 days. Normally, you will ask me to start providing the service immediately, and so the 14 day cancellation period will not apply. Instead, you can still cancel, but you will have to pay a reasonable amount for the work I have done in the lead up to cancellation. If you cancel but I have already completed my work for you, you will have to pay my full fee and disbursements.

If you wish to cancel our contract, please use the Model Cancellation Form at Schedule 3 of the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 (click here to view).