Service Standard

Octagon Chambers takes considerable pride in client care. We will abide by the following level of service:

RESPONSE TIMES

• All written instructions and briefs will be acknowledged in writing as having been passed to the agreed barrister within one working day of receipt.
• All written instructions will be acted upon, and responded to, within 14 days unless an alternative time frame has been requested and agreed.
• Urgent work will be completed to meet an agreed time scale.
• All messages requiring a response (telephone, faxes and e-mails) will be made available to the barristers within one working hour of receipt where possible and in any event in the same working day. If unable to do so, the clerk will inform the client of the situation.
• Barristers will return calls to clients as soon as possible, certainly within 12 working hours. If unable to do so, the clerk will inform the client of the situation.

CLERKING

• All barristers who have the appropriate seniority and expertise will be put forward by the clerks to ensure that the required quality of service is provided.
• Only those barristers who have the appropriate seniority and expertise will be put forward by the clerks to ensure that the required quality of service is provided.
• Returns will be avoided whenever possible. If a return is unavoidable, the client will be informed at the earliest opportunity to discuss an alternative barrister.

FEES AND BILLING

• All fees and charging rates in privately funded cases will be agreed in advance.
• Barristers' charging rates are available upon request.
• Clerks will advise in appropriate cases where the charging rates need to be varied depending upon the complexity of the case after consultation with the barrister.
• Fee notes will be rendered within 7 days of the completion of the work, unless otherwise agreed.
• Fees in privately funded cases will fall due to be paid within 3 months of receipt of the fee note, in order to comply with the Bar Council's Rules, unless otherwise agreed.

SERVICE

Chambers undertakes to provide when possible the following services and facilities to all clients as requested:

• The use of conference rooms in and out of published working hours;
• Conferences can be held at an appropriate venue and time including at solicitors’ offices.
• Chambers operates an Equal Opportunities Policy. Regrettably, facilities for the disabled, and in particular for wheelchair users, are very limited at Octagon Chambers, but arrangements can be made for conferences at locations where good disabled facilities are available.