Litigation pricing
We believe litigation pricing should be clear, transparent and commercially sensible wherever possible.
Litigation can be unpredictable, but clients should still understand how costs are likely to be approached before committing to legal work. For that reason, we offer indicative fixed-fee pricing for certain clearly defined litigation drafting tasks, alongside bespoke estimates for wider advice, negotiation, urgent applications and ongoing case management.
The figures below are indicative fixed-fee ranges for specific pieces of work. They are not estimates for running an entire claim to trial. Where your matter requires strategic advice, merits analysis, negotiation with an opponent, urgent action, counsel’s input or broader litigation support, we will scope and price that work separately before proceeding.
All fees are exclusive of VAT and exclude court fees, barristers’ fees, expert fees and other third-party disbursements unless expressly stated otherwise.
Indicative fixed fees for litigation drafting
For clearly scoped drafting tasks, we may be able to offer fixed fees within the following indicative ranges.
| Litigation task | Indicative fixed fee |
|---|---|
| Letter before action, debt claim | £750–£1,250 |
| Letter before action, contract dispute | £1,250–£2,000 |
| Construction letter of claim | £1,500–£2,500 |
| Letter of response or reply | £1,000–£1,750 |
| Claim form and particulars of claim | £2,500–£4,000 |
| Defence | £2,500–£4,000 |
| Counterclaim or additional claim | £2,000–£3,500 |
| Reply or amended statement of case | £1,500–£3,000 |
| Winding-up petition response or defence | £3,000–£5,000 |
| Insolvency-related pleadings | £2,500–£4,500 |
| Interim application drafting | £1,500–£2,500 |
| Default judgment application | £750–£1,500 |
| Consent order or Tomlin order | £1,000–£2,000 |
| Enforcement application drafting | £1,250–£2,500 |
| Witness statement drafting support | £1,250–£2,000 |
| Letter of instruction to expert | £750–£1,250 |
| Disclosure list, schedule or index | £750–£1,500 |
| Chronology or case summary | £750–£1,250 |
| Costs schedule | £750–£1,250 |
| Part 36 offer | £750–£1,500 |
| Mediation position statement or submission | £1,250–£2,500 |
| Settlement agreement drafting | £2,000–£3,500 |
| Notice of discontinuance | £500–£850 |
The final fee within a stated range will depend on the complexity, urgency and volume of material involved.
FAQ for fixed fees
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Some urgent applications, such as injunctions and freezing orders, may require immediate strategic advice, evidence preparation, counsel’s input and urgent court engagement. These matters are usually scoped individually.
Straightforward urgent application drafting may start from £3,500 + VAT, but the final cost will depend on urgency, complexity, evidence volume, opponent conduct, court requirements and whether barristers or other third parties need to be instructed.
Where urgent work is required, we will explain the likely cost approach as clearly as possible before work begins, subject to the urgency of the situation.
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Unless we agree otherwise in writing, a fixed fee for litigation drafting includes:
preparation of the first draft of the specified document;
review of the written instructions and documents identified for that drafting task;
one internal quality review;
formatting and procedural checks relevant to the document being prepared.
Fixed-fee drafting is based on the information available at the time the work is scoped. If the scope changes, if additional documents need to be reviewed, or if the matter becomes more complex than initially understood, we will discuss any revised fee before carrying out further work.
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Unless expressly agreed, fixed-fee drafting does not include:
strategic advice;
merits analysis or prospects advice;
tactical planning or dispute positioning;
negotiation with an opponent or third party;
revisions beyond the agreed draft;
urgent turnaround;
counsel’s advice or conference;
court attendance;
ongoing case management;
court fees, expert fees, barristers’ fees or other third-party costs.
If you need any of these services, we can scope and price them separately.
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The final fee within an indicative range will depend on factors including:
the volume and quality of the documents provided;
whether the instructions are complete, clear and consistent;
the number of parties involved;
the number and complexity of the legal issues;
whether there are multiple causes of action, defences or counterclaims;
procedural or statutory complexity;
urgency;
whether the matter involves insolvency, regulatory issues or court-critical risk;
whether counsel, experts or other third parties need to be involved.
We will always aim to explain the basis for our pricing before work begins.
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Our estimates assume that:
instructions are complete, accurate and provided in writing;
relevant documents are supplied in a usable form and within agreed timeframes;
there is no material change in the facts or objectives after the work is scoped;
you confirm your commercial objectives before drafting begins.
Clients remain responsible for the factual accuracy of the instructions and documents they provide. If instructions are incomplete, inconsistent or change materially, the scope and fee may need to be reassessed.
Strategy, advice and wider litigation support
Many clients need more than a single document. Where a matter requires strategic advice, merits analysis, negotiation or ongoing litigation support, we will provide a separate estimate or fee proposal.
Indicative pricing for wider support may include:
| Service | Indicative fee |
|---|---|
| Strategic advice or merits analysis | £1,500–£5,000+ |
| Tactical planning or dispute roadmap | £1,000–£3,000 |
| Negotiation support, per phase | £1,500–£4,000 |
| Additional revisions or work outside agreed scope | Charged at agreed hourly rates |
| Urgent turnaround | May attract an uplift of 20%–40% |
We will confirm the applicable pricing basis before carrying out chargeable work.
These are task-specific fees, not total litigation budgets
The figures above relate to specific litigation tasks only. They are not:
a cap on the total cost of a dispute;
an estimate for running a claim to trial;
a guarantee that a matter will remain within a particular range if the scope changes;
inclusive of court fees, counsel’s fees, expert fees or other third-party disbursements unless expressly stated.
For wider litigation support, we can provide a tailored estimate or staged budget once we understand the issues, documents, parties, objectives and likely procedural steps.
Request a litigation estimate
If you are involved in a dispute, we can help you understand your options, likely next steps and potential costs.
To request an estimate, please contact us with:
a short summary of the dispute;
the key documents;
any relevant deadlines;
details of any court proceedings already issued;
what outcome you are seeking.
We will review the information provided and let you know whether the work is suitable for fixed-fee pricing, staged pricing or a bespoke estimate.
