Criminal Law
Ali Aeren advocate for clients facing a wide range of road traffic offenses and our teams handles cases from minor infractions, such as fixed penalty notices for speeding, to allegations, including causing serious injury or death by dangerous driving.
We offer bespoke high-quality legal representation at all stages of a road traffic investigation, on an hourly rate basis and in some circumstances, we are able to act on a fixed fee basis. You can find out more about our motoring charges on our Fees section below.
The type of work we undertake include the following:
- We provide guidance on responding to Notices of Intended Prosecution and conditional offers of fixed penalty notices.
- We safeguard and promote our clients’ interests during police interviews, investigations, and court proceedings, aiming to achieve the best possible outcome.
- When necessary, we collaborate with various experts to analyse, challenge, and secure evidence.
- In suitable situations, we can arrange alternative resolutions for our clients.
Types of motoring offences
The types of offences our criminal defence lawyers defend include representing individuals under investigation for various road traffic offences, such as;-
- Speeding (including cases where ‘totting up’ results in penalty point disqualification)
- Drink driving (also referred to as ‘excess alcohol’)
- Drug driving
- Dangerous driving
- Careless driving
- Driving without due care or attention
- Driving while unfit to drive
- Failing to provide a specimen
- Death by dangerous or careless driving
Fees
Hourly rates
Our fees are typically based on the hours worked on a case, billed at an hourly rate. The rate depends on the complexity of the case and the seniority of the solicitor managing it. Our standard hourly rates are as follows: £200-£230 per hour for a solicitor, £280-£295 per hour for an associate solicitor, and £375 per hour for a partner.
Our services are typically billed on an hourly rate basis for advising on evidence, plea, and sentencing, as well as assessing the likelihood of achieving an exceptional hardship or special reasons finding to avoid disqualification. This includes case preparation, such as reviewing prosecution evidence, gathering defence evidence, and providing court representation. The total hours required for any case will depend on several factors, including the intended plea, the volume of evidence, the time spent consulting with and advising you, interactions with witnesses (including experts), document drafting, and court attendance.
Range of costs
There are various potential charges, reflecting the many different types of driving offenses. For straightforward, single-hearing cases (typically involving guilty pleas), fees generally range from £2,250 to £5,625. This would usually cover:
- Routine correspondence with you
- Review of prosecution evidence
- Advising you on the strength of the evidence and plea options
- Taking your instructions
- Representing you at one hearing
- Typically, these single-hearing cases are resolved on the day of the first hearing
For more complex or extended cases that proceed to trial or involve multiple hearings, numerous variables can impact the fees. We can provide an estimate once we have the necessary information regarding the type of charge, the volume and nature of the evidence, the intended plea, and the circumstances surrounding the allegation. Additionally, with more details about the case, we can offer further information about the expected timescales.
Disbursements/Third Party Fees
If you request us to instruct a barrister to represent you in court, their fees will be charged in addition to our own. We will inform you of these fees in advance. For minor driving offenses, barrister fees generally range from £500 to £10,000 plus VAT, depending on the complexity of the case and the seniority of the barrister.
In some instances, it may be necessary to instruct an expert witness. The expert’s fees will also be additional to our firm’s fees. We will notify you in advance of these costs, which typically range from £1,000 to £4,000 plus VAT.
You may also be responsible for other costs incurred on your behalf from third parties. Besides barrister and expert fees, this may include interpreter/translation costs, travel expenses if we need to travel outside our office on your behalf, and courier charges. The necessity of these disbursements will depend on the specifics of your case
For emergencies or out of hours support
Call us on 07903 096864 to be put through to one of our solicitors.