Motoring Offences

Fixed fee for initial meeting with solicitor up to 45 mins - £120 (£150 including VAT)

This option is suitable for clients who just want general advice at this stage and includes

• a 45 minute meeting with you,

• a brief assessment of the case based on your initial instructions and any documents available. 

• general advice on the options available and range of sentencing open to the court. 

Fixed fee for up to two hours work on your case including an initial meeting with a solicitor - £500 (£600 incl. VAT)

This option is suitable for clients who want an in-depth assessment of their case. It includes 

• a meeting to take your instructions, 

• consideration of any available evidence from you or the prosecution, 

• routine liaison with the Police, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Court, 

• advising you on your plea and/or prospects of a successful defence, and/or on any special reasons or exceptional hardship argument. 

• advising you on the court procedure and range of possible outcomes and any necessary steps to be taken to prepare your case.

Fixed fee for remand hearing/ plea/ sentence £500 (£600 incl. VAT)

This fee is to cover a single hearing at court that is not a trial. This is suitable if you have been bailed or summonsed to attend court for the first hearing or a case management hearing, or if your case is listed for sentence. It does not cover work away from court. It will cover most types of hearings except a trial or a special reasons/ exceptional hardship argument (these are more complex and have their own separate fees.) We will

• meet with you at court and take your up-to-date instructions,

• advise you and represent you in court, 

• report to you after the hearing and give you any necessary further advice including any steps to be taken.

Fixed fee for up to half-day trial (hearing only) £900 (£1080 incl. VAT)

This fee is to cover a trial which you have prepared yourself. It is suitable for a client who feels confident to prepare the case but wants representation at court. It may also be suitable for a client who decides at a late stage that they want to be represented. We will

• consider the prosecution case and your defence, and check that you have taken all necessary steps, 

• meet with you at court to take your up-to-date instructions,

• advise you on the evidence and the possible outcomes including sentence

• represent you at the trial,

• report to you after the hearing and give you any necessary further advice including any steps to be taken.

Fixed fee for all preparation and representation for half day trial £1500 (£1800 inc VAT)*

This fee includes all steps to prepare a straightforward trial. It is suitable if you intend to plead not guilty and want assistance from the start to the end of the case. It will include

• a meeting with a solicitor, 

• an in depth assessment of your case including any available evidence, 

• routine liaison with the Police, CPS and Court as required, 

• advising you on your plea and/or prospects of a successful defence, and/or on any special reasons or exceptional hardship argument, 

• advising you on the court procedure and range of possible outcomes and steps to be taken,

• completion of steps necessary to prepare your case, 

• meeting with you again at court, taking your up-to-date instructions, advising you and representing you in court,

• reporting to you after the hearing and giving you any necessary further advice including any steps to be taken.

Fixed fee for all preparation and representation for full day trial £1800 (£2160 inc VAT)*

This includes the same items of work as a half day trial and is suitable if your case is listed for a full day trial.

*Additional hearings

Where we are instructed in the trial, any first hearings, interim hearings and post-trial hearings are charged at £250 (£300 inc VAT) For most trials this will not be necessary because you will have entered your not guilty plea by post or online: and sentencing (if any) takes place immediately after the trial  

What if my case is more complicated?

Fixed fees assume that the case concerns one incident on one occasion and that you the client and up to one witness will give evidence for the defence. Where, for example, you have more than one witness, or you need to call expert evidence, or obtain CCTV evidence, there is likely to be an additional fee. For multi-witness or multi-incident cases (for example two separate speeding offences) we will agree a bolt on fee with you. Average fees for a one day trial that involves a significant extra preparation can range from £2500 to £5000 plus VAT plus the cost of any disbursements.

Special Reasons hearings and Exceptional Hardship arguments

Unless otherwise agreed with you, fixed fees for “special reasons” hearings or “exceptional hardship” arguments are the same as for trials.

What isn't included in the fixed or estimated fee?

• the cost of travel outside the Greater London area (charged at 50% of the hourly rate);

• travel expenses at public transport rates or £0.45 per mile plus VAT;

• disbursements, such as fees for medical reports, blood analysis reports, speed calculation reports and other expert reports which can range from as little as £100 to as much as £3,000 plus VAT depending on the type of report.

Who will deal with your case?

All cases are under the supervision of a senior solicitor and conducted by a solicitor assisted by a paralegal or trainee solicitor.

Representation at court is normally by a solicitor from this office. Sometimes this is not possible, in which case we will instruct a solicitor agent who we have confidence in, or a barrister from a local chambers. This will not affect the fee that you pay us.

How long will your case take?

The time a case takes in the Magistrates Court depends on when the first hearing is and whether you plead guilty or not guilty. Guilty plea cases usually finish at the first hearing. More serious cases may be adjourned for up to a further month before sentence. Trials For not guilty pleas, special reasons and exceptional hardship hearings the trial can take between 2 and 4 months from the first hearing to be listed in the Magistrates Court depending on the local court and the length of the trial. Each case is individual and we can give you a better indication in our initial consultation.

Legal Aid

Lansbury Worthington has a Legal Aid contract with the Legal Aid Agency. Legal Aid is not normally available for driving offences but may be available, subject to means, for more serious "imprisonable" offences such as drink drive cases with aggravating features, dangerous driving and cases involving serious injuries or fatalities.

Common driving offences

Sentencing penalties