The Cranbrook Group Ltd operates under the names Cranbrook Legal and Cranbrook Solicitors. It is registered in England & Wales (Company No: 09872965), with its registered office located at Chancery House, 53-64 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1QS. To accommodate clients, we may occasionally arrange meetings outside our head office.
The Cranbrook Group Ltd is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No: 639517) and is registered with The Law Society of England & Wales. The SRA requires all solicitors to provide clients with their Terms of Business.
In this document, “us” or “we” refers to The Cranbrook Group Ltd and its trading names. “You” or “client” refers to the individual or business requiring legal services.
The Cranbrook Group Ltd specializes in legal services, focusing on UK Immigration Law, UAE Immigration Law, Commercial and Contract Matters, and Litigation.
Please note:
This Agreement outlines the Terms of Business between The Cranbrook Group Ltd (“we” or “the firm”) and you (“the client”). It contains important information relevant to our services, so please review it carefully. We recommend revisiting this document regularly, especially at key stages as your matter progresses.
These Terms and Conditions of Business (unless amended in writing or updated on our website: www.cranbrooklegal.com) define how we will provide professional services to you. The Agreement should be read alongside our Client Engagement Letter, which will be sent to you separately.
Our Head Office is located at Chancery House, 53-64 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1QS. You can reach us by telephone at +44 (0)208 215 0053 or by fax at +44 (0)203 103 0008. Please note that calls may be recorded for training or regulatory purposes.
Paid street parking is available near our office, with a maximum duration of 4 hours. The nearest London Underground stations are:
Our standard office hours are 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays. Appointments outside these hours may be arranged if practical. Outside office hours, you can send messages via fax or email.
For the purposes of this Agreement, “working day” refers to weekdays and excludes Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank or statutory holidays.
We maintain high standards across our business to ensure excellent Client Care. These standards include:
While we have additional standards in place, these are the key ones that directly impact your interactions with us. Please let us know if you feel we are not upholding these standards.
To help us provide an efficient and effective service, we kindly ask you to:
If you have any questions, are unclear about procedures, or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact your Legal Representative.
We have a team of specialists in our office, so the person you initially contact may not be the best fit to handle your case. If that’s the case, they will forward your details to the right person, who will then reach out to you. Your case will be managed personally by your designated Legal Representative, whose name and title are included in the attached letter. If your Legal Representative is unavailable or out of the office, you can speak with a colleague who is familiar with your file. If they can’t assist you directly, they will take a message, and your Legal Representative will get back to you as soon as possible.
Fee Structure: Unless we’ve agreed on a fixed fee or an alternative arrangement in writing, our fees are based on the time spent on your case, charged in 6-minute units according to our hourly rates.
Fixed Fees: If we’ve agreed on a fixed fee, please refer to the letter we sent at the beginning of the case, which will confirm the agreed rate. If more work is needed or there are delays, we may charge extra fees or switch to an hourly rate. If the matter doesn’t proceed, we may retain the full fixed fee or charge based on time spent.
Time-Based Charges: We calculate our fees mainly based on the time spent by our team—Solicitors, Barristers, Trainees, Paralegals, and other staff members—working on your case. This includes tasks like advising, meetings, handling papers and emails, research, phone calls, travel, and court appearances.
Charging in Units: We record the time spent on your case in 6-minute units (one unit = 6 minutes). For example, one hour equals 10 units, and fractional units are rounded up.
Hourly Rates: Our hourly rates are reviewed annually to reflect changes in salaries and other costs. If your case isn’t completed before the review, we’ll let you know the new rates as soon as they are set.
Estimates: It’s often hard to estimate exactly how many hours will be needed for your case, as the work depends on how other parties respond. We’ll give an estimate based on the current information, assuming the case doesn’t become more urgent or complex than expected. Estimates are not cost caps, but if you want to set a limit on the costs, please notify us in writing. We will confirm any limits in writing before they take effect. If the case turns out to be more complicated or urgent than expected, we’ll inform you as soon as possible and provide an updated estimate.
Disbursements: You may incur additional costs (disbursements), like court fees or charges for third-party services. We’ll ask you to provide the necessary funds upfront. If we pay these costs on your behalf, we may charge interest on any unpaid amounts until reimbursement is received. VAT may apply to some disbursements.
Care and Control Charges: In some cases, part of our fee may be based on the value of your case, known as “care and control,” reflecting the responsibility the firm takes on for your matter.
Priority Uplift: If your case involves exceptional circumstances (e.g., high complexity or urgent work), we may apply an increased hourly rate.
Non-Completion of Work: If we do not complete the work you instructed us to do, we will charge for the work already done. VAT will apply, and we will also bill you for any disbursements incurred.
Payments on Account: We usually ask for advance payments to cover expected fees and expenses. If you face any difficulties, please inform us as soon as possible.
Non-Payment: If any fees, expenses, or VAT are unpaid, we may stop working on your case until payment is made. We can also use funds held in our client account to cover any outstanding fees.
Undertakings: If we are asked to provide a solicitor’s undertaking, we may require a deposit or other security.
Administrative Fees: Occasionally, we may charge administrative fees for things like sending original documents, retrieving files from archives, or additional photocopying. These fees will be communicated to you if they arise.
Printing, Copying, and Scanning Charges: While actively working on your case, we don’t charge for printing, copying, or scanning unless you exceed 1,000 pages. After that, we charge 5p per black and white page, with no extra charge for colour prints. Once your case is closed, the charge is 25p per page. These charges are subject to VAT.
Statute Bills: We provide a summary of time spent on our bills. If you want more detail, you can request a detailed statute bill within three months. The detailed bill will replace the summary one.
Assessment of Statute Bills: You can ask the Court to review our bill, a process called “assessment.” If the Court finds the bill reasonable, you may incur additional costs.
Personal Liability: Unless agreed otherwise, you are personally responsible for paying our fees and VAT and reimbursing any expenses we incur on your behalf.
Guarantee by Directors or Partners: If a company or partnership instructs us, its directors or partners are personally responsible for paying our fees. This ensures payment even if the company or partnership faces financial difficulties.
If you are successful in your claim and the other party is required to pay some or all of the costs, we will not keep any interest recovered on those costs, if applicable. If interest on costs or disbursements is recovered after the judgment but before a Costs Assessment is made, and it hasn’t been paid before the Assessment, the interest on costs will belong to the firm however will pay this to you.
If we hold money in our bank account on your behalf, we will pay interest to you according to the Solicitors’ Accounts Rules 1991. This means, subject to certain conditions, the interest rate will be the same as what you would receive from a bank. We may use this interest to settle any outstanding statute bills or keep it for ongoing work. If the total interest amounts to £50 or less, we will retain it.
At the end of your case, if you’re successful, you may be able to have your costs paid by the other party. However, it’s rare for the cost “Assessment” process to result in full recovery of all the costs incurred on your behalf.
Additionally, the other party may not be able to pay what they’ve been ordered to pay. For this reason, you are still responsible for paying our fees. You cannot delay payment of our statute bills in the hope that the other party will cover them. This agreement allows us to charge you an amount greater than what you may recover from the other party, and it confirms that you are responsible for paying this amount.
If a cost assessment occurs, we typically hire a specialist Costs Lawyer to prepare the bills, which must be approved by the Court or the Legal Services Commission. You will be responsible for the Costs Lawyer’s fees unless the other party pays or you have a Public Funding Certificate. However, their fees will not exceed the rate we charge for a solicitor’s work.
If you win and the other party is ordered to pay your costs, we may be able to claim interest on those costs starting from the date the order was made. We will keep this interest as it relates to our unpaid charges.
Keep in mind that if you lose the case, you may be ordered to pay the other party’s costs.
Withdrawal from Proceedings: If you decide to withdraw your case after Court proceedings have started, be aware that if the other party doesn’t accept your withdrawal without costs consequences, you may have to pay their legal costs and disbursements.
If the other party is publicly funded, they may not recover costs. If you are publicly funded and lose, you could be ordered to pay the other party’s costs, even though our costs would be covered by Public Funding.
Clients should know that they remain primarily liable for our costs, even if they expect to get a costs order against the other party. If enforcement of the costs order is needed, you will also have to cover those costs.
Enforcement Proceedings: If the other party doesn’t pay the awarded damages or costs, the cost of enforcement proceedings will be your responsibility. You may not recover all the damages or costs awarded, nor the costs of enforcement.
Part 36 Offer: If the defendant offers a settlement or makes a payment under the Civil Procedure Rules, be aware that continuing the case in the hope of getting more could result in adverse costs consequences if the final order is for the same or less than the offer or the amount paid into Court.
Costs orders can be complex, but we can explain them to you in more detail if needed.
Criminal Cases: If all allegations against you are successfully defended, the court may order that your costs are paid from central funds, meaning some of our costs may be reimbursed by the court. However, if you are unsuccessful, the court may order you to pay some or all of the Crown’s costs in bringing the prosecution.
Your matter can only be funded through money that has cleared in our Client/Office Account.
In line with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Accounts Rules, our firm is dedicated to handling client money with the highest standards of integrity and transparency. Client money, as defined by the SRA, includes any funds we hold or receive in connection with the services we provide to you, as well as money held on behalf of third parties related to those services or in our role as a trustee or office holder. We make sure that all client money is paid into a separate client account, distinct from our firm’s own funds, and used only for matters related to your case. This ensures your funds are protected and meets our professional responsibilities under the SRA Accounts Rules. We also ensure that any client money is returned to you promptly when there is no longer a valid reason to hold it.
We require eight full working days for the clearance of all cheques and banker’s drafts. We recommend making payments directly to our account via electronic transfer. If there are any delays in receiving funds due to late payment or using an inappropriate payment method, we will not be held responsible for any direct or consequential losses while the funds remain uncleared. Additionally, we reserve the right to charge interest at the rate mentioned earlier. It is understood that, as your Solicitors, we may receive money intended for you and deposit it into our Client Account.
We will process your personal data to carry out your instructions, in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679. Your data will mainly be stored on our IT systems but will also be backed up by a third-party IT provider. At the end of your case, upon request, we can send you the original documents from your file so you can keep them. We can also provide or make available copies that are legally yours.
Our working papers, including Court Orders, may be stored as paper documents or, at our discretion, converted and stored electronically. We will keep our file for a minimum of 6 years after your case is completed. After this period, we will securely destroy the file. We are not responsible for any loss or damage resulting from the destruction of the file after this time. If you request access to your file during this period, we will charge a reasonable fee for retrieval, reviewing documents, copying, and delivery, plus VAT.
If you are an individual, we will collect personal data such as your name, address, date of birth, identification documents, contact details, and bank account information. This data will be used for providing legal services, billing, and administrative purposes. We may also use this data to send you information about our firm and services, including contacting you by email or phone.
If you represent a legal entity, we will process personal data in the same way for the purpose of handling your matter. You are responsible for ensuring you have the necessary privacy notices and procedures in place when we collect and process personal data for your case.
If you have concerns about your data, please inform the solicitor handling your matter before sharing any data with us.
We will not disclose your information to third parties unless it is necessary to carry out your instructions, required by law, mandated by a regulatory or governmental authority, needed to enforce our rights under our agreement, or as part of court proceedings. In court, documents, emails, or other materials provided to your opponent may become public.
If you wish to make a subject access request, please email us at info@cranbrooklegal.com, and we will respond within one month.
We strive to provide high-quality, efficient service. To maintain our standards, we may need to show evidence of our work to professional bodies, authorities, and other organizations. You agree that we have your permission to share your file and documents and disclose information in certain cases where confidentiality may not apply. We may also ask other companies or individuals to handle administrative or storage tasks related to our files. Additionally, under the Terrorism Act 2000, Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and Money Laundering Regulations, we may be required to report certain matters to the relevant authorities, which may override our usual confidentiality obligations.
IT IS HEREBY AGREED AND CONFIRMED that the liability of The Cranbrook Group Ltd, and/or its successors, for any loss or damage, regardless of how the liability arises (including but not limited to liability due to negligence or breach of statutory duty), shall be limited to a maximum of Three Million Pounds Sterling (£3,000,000).
You can end your instructions to us in writing at any time. For instance, you might find it difficult to give us clear instructions on how to proceed, or you may lose confidence in our work. We may have the right to keep all your papers and documents until any outstanding fees are paid. Please note that if your case is on a Fixed Fee basis, the full fee will still be due if you decide to terminate our services before the case is completed.
Unless we agree otherwise, and subject to the current hourly rates or updated Terms and Conditions, these terms will apply to any future instructions you give us.
From time to time, we may contact you about similar products and services we offer that we think might interest you. This could be by email, text, phone, post, or other electronic means, unless you’ve told us you don’t want to receive such communications. If you ever wish to stop receiving marketing materials, you can opt out by contacting us through the details on our ‘Contact Us’ page or by emailing info@cranbrooklegal.com.
These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and will be interpreted in accordance with them. Any disputes arising from these terms will be subject to the jurisdiction of the English courts, to which you agree to submit.
This document is not intended to create either a “Contentious Business Agreement” or a “Non-Contentious Business Agreement” under the Solicitors Act 1974 or the Solicitors Remuneration Order 1994. If such an agreement were to be made, it would limit your ability to challenge the fees we charge. However, we may separately enter into such an agreement with you.
Distance Selling Regulations 200
By agreeing to this, you give us permission to begin working on your behalf immediately, which means you lose the right to cancel that would normally apply. Please note that the work we are instructed to do may not be completed within the 30-day period referred to in these regulations.
Joint Clients
If we represent more than one client, we may (unless otherwise instructed in writing) accept instructions from any one of you on behalf of all.
Superseding Agreement
This agreement replaces any previous agreements between us and is made between you (the client(s)) and Cranbrook Legal (and/or its successors). Unless otherwise agreed, it will apply to any future instructions you give to Cranbrook Legal.
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