For many corporations, the requirement to engage solicitors who will then brief counsel increases costs, delay in obtaining advice and even confusion as to the division of responsibilities. Of course, some matters merit this arrangement. Where they do not, I am very happy to accept briefs directly from in-house counsel.

Additionally, briefing counsel early in a matter may help in developing a consistent, long-term, strategic approach to the matter. In those cases, directly instructing a barrister may assist.

While I still accept analogue briefs, I prefer to work digitally where possible. Consequently, I accept instructions sent by email or by other document management tools. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Traditional fee arrangements add to clients’ uncertainty about a matter. That uncertainty can result in potential clients choosing to avoid seeking legal assistance until it it absolutely necessary. As a result, I think it is often much more appropriate for fixed, capped or staged fee arrangements to be negotiated at a matter’s commencement. However, there will remain some matters in which traditional fee arrangements are more appropriate.