Our standard terms of business and client care information, in accordance with the SRA Code of Conduct 2019.
Last updated: January 2024
⚖️ Simman Solicitors is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Head SRA ID: 342119. Branch SRA ID: 8014732. Our professional rules are set by the SRA and can be found at sra.org.uk.
Simman Solicitors is a solicitors' firm authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). We are subject to the SRA Standards and Regulations, including the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors 2019. A copy of the SRA Standards and Regulations is available at sra.org.uk.
We are also subject to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) and related regulations in respect of Legal Aid work.
We provide legal services in the following areas:
⚠️ Legal Aid is available for Immigration and Asylum matters only, subject to means and merits testing. Legal Aid is not available for private immigration matters, family law, or other legal areas we handle. We will clearly advise you at the outset whether Legal Aid applies to your matter.
We are committed to providing high quality legal services. Before we start work on your matter, we will:
Legal Aid: If you qualify for Legal Aid, you will not be charged for legal services. Your eligibility will be assessed based on your financial circumstances (means test) and the merits of your case.
Private Clients: Our initial consultation fee is £450 + VAT. This fee is deducted from your overall case costs if you instruct us to proceed. All subsequent fees will be set out in your Client Care Letter before work commences. We offer fixed fees where possible and hourly rates where not, depending on the nature of your matter.
Disbursements: Disbursements are payments to third parties made on your behalf (e.g. Home Office fees, court fees, interpreter fees, expert report fees). We will advise you of likely disbursements in advance and obtain your authorisation before incurring them.
We owe you a duty of confidentiality. We will not disclose information about your case to third parties without your consent, except where required by law, our regulatory obligations, or where necessary to carry out your instructions (e.g. sharing documents with the Home Office or court).
Please be aware that if we are required by law or a court order to disclose information, we may be unable to inform you in advance.
We will check for conflicts of interest before accepting instructions and throughout your matter. If a conflict arises, we will inform you and, if necessary, cease to act for you and help you find alternative representation.
We are required by law to verify the identity of all clients before commencing work. We will ask you to provide proof of identity (e.g. passport, national ID card) and proof of address. This is a legal requirement and not a reflection on you personally.
We may be required to make a Suspicious Activity Report to the National Crime Agency in certain circumstances. If this applies, we may be unable to inform you that a report has been made.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity in all our dealings with clients, staff, and third parties. We will not discriminate on grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion/belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
Our Diversity Data is published annually and available on request or via our website.
We hold professional indemnity insurance as required by the SRA. Details of our insurer and coverage are available on request or from the SRA's regulated firms database at sra.org.uk.
You may end our retainer at any time by writing to us. You will be liable for fees and disbursements incurred up to the date of termination.
We may cease to act for you in limited circumstances — for example, if you provide us with misleading information, fail to pay agreed fees, ask us to act in breach of our professional duties, or if a conflict of interest arises.
These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from our engagement shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
For any questions about these terms: legal@simmansolicitors.org.uk · 020 8686 1085 · 83 South End, Croydon, CR0 1BG