Solicitors

Instructing us

Tanfield accepts instructions from solicitors or other practising lawyers.  We aim to ensure that instructing members of Chambers is simple and straightforward.  Please contact our practice managers on 020 7421 5300 to ask for help to find the most suitable barrister for your case, to discuss fees and instructions and to ask for a quotation.

Unless otherwise specifically agreed in writing, all instructions from solicitors to barristers at Tanfield Chambers are accepted only on the Standard Contractual Terms for the supply of Legal Services by Barristers to Authorised Persons 2012 (as amended from time to time) – for a copy please click here.

Fees

Fee arrangements for barristers at Tanfield vary depending on the area of practice, the seniority of the barrister and the complexity and value of your case.

Tanfield is committed to complete transparency in relation to fees, which can be arranged on a fixed fee basis, an hourly rate basis, a conditional fee agreement, a part-conditional fee agreement or public funding.

We will provide you with a quotation as soon as possible and always aim clearly to set out our quotations.  However, please contact us on 020 7421 5300 if you need any guidance or help to understand your quotation.

Timescales

Timescales for a case may vary depending on factors such as barristers’ availability, the type and complexity of the case, the other side’s approach and court waiting times.

Service standards and feedback

Tanfield Chambers is committed to excellence in all areas of its activity.  Our aim is to provide the very highest level of service to our clients at all times.  We welcome and encourage feedback from all our clients as this is an important part of our efforts to review and improve our practices and procedures.  Should you wish to provide us with feedback, please contact our practice managers at clerks@tanfieldchambers.co.uk.

Regulatory

Barristers in chambers are regulated by the Bar Standards Board.  You can search the Barristers’ Register on the Bar Standards Board’s website which shows (1) whether a barrister has a current practising certificate, and (2) whether a barrister has any disciplinary findings, which are published on the Bar Standards Board’s website in accordance with their policy.  Alternatively, you can contact the Bar Standards Board on 020 7611 1444 to ask about this (or e-mail).

Complaints

Tanfield Chambers is proud of its reputation for providing excellent client service. However we recognise that there may be times when our service falls short of expectations, despite our very best efforts. We encourage ongoing communication with our clients so that any issues can be identified and resolved as early as possible. We maintain a formal complaints procedure to assist with the appropriate handling of any complaints. Should you wish to bring a formal complaint to our attention, please contact the Chief Executive, Walter Womersley, in the first instance. A copy of our complaints procedure can be viewed by clicking here.

As detailed within our complaints procedure, you may have the right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman (“the LEO”).  Clients can complain to the LeO if they are unhappy with the final response to their complaint, or if their complaint has not been dealt with in 8 weeks; and clients who have a right to complain to the LeO are individuals and, broadly speaking, small businesses and charities.

The full list of who has a right to complain to the LeO is available on their website and here. You must complain to the Legal Ombudsman either within one year of your barrister’s actions/failure to act, or no later than one year after you should reasonably have known there were grounds to complain.

You must also complain to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving your barrister’s final response to your complaint.

More information about the Legal Ombudsman is available on their website: http://www.legalombudsman.org.uk

You can also search the decision data on the LeO’s website which you can access here.

Languages

Chambers enjoys the advantage of having a number of barristers who speak foreign languages, including French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Russian.

Equal Opportunities

Tanfield’s Governance Board ensures as far as reasonably practicable that Chambers as a whole, its committees, members, pupils (including mini-pupils), squatters and staff comply with paragraphs 305.1 and 305.2 (as amended) of the Bar Code of Conduct which prohibit any form of discrimination or harassment, whether direct or indirect, against any person on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, religion or belief and in the case of age only where objectively and reasonably justifiable.

Tanfield has an Equal Opportunities Committee which monitors and reviews the implementation of its policies.  Chambers takes diversity seriously and most recently undertook diversity monitoring in November 2019. The data is available to view here.

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