Common use of Legal Expenses Insurance Clause in Contracts

Legal Expenses Insurance. You should check your insurance policies (particularly commercial and home contents policies) to see whether you have Before The Event (BTE) legal expenses insurance. After The Event (ATE) insurance products may also be available (for an individually quoted premium) to cover your opponent’s costs or even assist with your disbursements, if you lose a litigation case. Please note that where you instruct us under a BTE policy as nominated solicitors appointed by your insurers, the retainer to act for you will end immediately and without the need for us to give you advance notice if and when funding is withdrawn by the insurer. CHARGING PROCEDURES We have the right: • to require payment in advance towards professional fees and disbursements • to issue interim, or alternatively what are known as “on account” bills on a monthly or other periodic basis. VAT is payable on our fees at the rate or rates in force when the invoice is rendered Disbursements (i.e. payments on your behalf such as court fees, search fees, SDLT or expert reports) are payable on request. We may charge you for abnormal postage costs or courier charges which we pay on your behalf and for copying costs where significant numbers of copies are needed or when external copying is required. We shall include in our invoices any charges relating to your matter which are passed on to us by third parties. Our bills are payable upon presentation. If they are not paid within one month of delivery we have the right: • to charge interest on the total amount outstanding at the rate applicable to county court judgement debts (currently 8%) or, if higher, 3% above bank base rate • to require immediate payment for all other outstanding work • to cease acting for you and to instruct those whom we are responsible for paying (e.g. barristers and experts) to cease acting. We have the right to deduct any invoiced sums whether overdue or not from money received by us on your behalf before forwarding the balance to you.

Legal Expenses Insurance. You should check your insurance policies (particularly commercial and home contents policies) to see whether you have Before The Event (BTE) legal expenses insurance. After The Event (ATE) insurance products may also be available (for an individually quoted premium) to cover your opponent’s costs or even assist with your disbursements, if you lose a litigation case. Please note that where you instruct us under a BTE policy as nominated solicitors appointed by your insurers, the retainer to act for you will end immediately and without the need for us to give you advance notice if and when funding is withdrawn by the insurer. CHARGING PROCEDURES We have the right: •  to require payment in advance towards professional fees and disbursements •  to issue interim, or alternatively what are known as “on account” bills on a monthly or other periodic basis. VAT is payable on our fees at the rate or rates in force when the invoice is rendered Disbursements (i.e. payments on your behalf such as court fees, search fees, SDLT or expert reports) are payable on request. We may charge you for abnormal postage costs or courier charges which we pay on your behalf and for copying costs where significant numbers of copies are needed or when external copying is required. We shall include in our invoices any charges relating to your matter which are passed on to us by third parties. Our bills are payable upon presentation. If they are not paid within one month of delivery we have the right: •  to charge interest on the total amount outstanding at the rate applicable to county court judgement debts (currently 8%) or, if higher, 3% above bank base rate •  to require immediate payment for all other outstanding work •  to cease acting for you and to instruct those whom we are responsible for paying (e.g. barristers and experts) to cease acting. We have the right to deduct any invoiced sums whether overdue or not from money received by us on your behalf before forwarding the balance to you.