• Get the maximum compensation you deserve
• Expert solicitors offering independent advice
• Pursuing claims in Northern Ireland since 1993
• Ethical “No Win, No Fee” alternatives
• Free initial consultation on your claim

You’ve probably seen TV adverts for legal firms offering “No Win, No Fee” agreements. The main selling point is that you’re not charged any solicitor’s fees unless your claim is successful.

You may also have noticed from the adverts that there is a focus on personal injury claims, employment disputes and medical negligence cases. Road traffic accidents, slips and trips, unfair dismissal and misdiagnosis claims are often targeted by no win, no fee solicitors.

No win, no fee has been praised for making legal action more accessible to people on lower incomes. But there are also concerns surrounding no win, no fee:

• It arguably increases the likelihood of frivolous claims.
• Claimants can be left with big legal bills they weren’t expecting.
• Claimants can lose up to 33% of their damages to cover their own solicitor fees.

While these arrangements — also called contingency agreements or damages-based agreements — are popular in England and Wales and, in a more limited form, the Republic of Ireland, they are not allowed under the law here in Northern Ireland.

Let’s take a look at the reasons why.

All solicitors in Northern Ireland are governed by the Law Society of Northern Ireland, which has banned all no win, no fee arrangements. Part V of the 1976 Solicitors (Northern Ireland) Order says that no solicitor can accept payment only in the event of success.

If you are offered no win, no fee agreements by solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland, you should be aware that they are doing so illegally. We would strongly recommend you avoid any solicitors who are breaking the law in this way and suggest you make a professional conduct complaint against them to the Law Society of Northern Ireland.

We will never offer a no win, no fee arrangement or enter into any agreement that results in us taking a percentage of your compensation. We believe you should get 100% of the compensation you’re awarded.

Our solicitors are committed to being transparent about all costs and legal fees. We believe there are better, more ethical alternatives to no win, no fee agreements, which will give you the legal support you need no matter what your financial circumstances.

This starts with a free initial consultation. We will listen to your situation, offer legal advice on whether your claim is viable and present you with possible options for proceeding — all totally free of charge. If you decide to start a claim, we will use a range of options to maximise the compensation you receive and minimise your legal fees. These include:

• Out-of-Court Settlement – We settle the majority of cases without going to court. If the accident wasn’t your fault, we can insist on your legal fees being paid by the other party’s insurer.
• Legal Aid – In the unlikely event that your case does go to court, you may be entitled to claim legal aid to cover your legal costs. We will advise if you can claim and help you to access legal aid.
• After the Event Insurance (ATE) – ATE insurance, sometimes called litigation insurance, protects you from having to pay the other party’s legal costs if your claim is unsuccessful. We will always advise you if we think it’s unlikely your claim will be successful, so this situation is unlikely to arise.
• Legal Expenses Insurance – If you check your home insurance and car insurance policies, you may find you’re already paying for insurance to cover your legal costs.

We have vast experience of helping people in Northern Ireland to limit their financial exposure and keep the damages they are awarded when making personal injury claims. Our solicitors have been using this approach successfully since 1993. While we aren’t able to offer no win, no fee agreements, we will use all of our experience to get the maximum compensation you deserve.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’ve suffered a personal injury that wasn’t your fault, you’re entitled to compensation. We’ll offer free initial legal advice and support you in finding ethical ways to ensure 100% of the payout awarded goes to you. You don’t need “No Win, No Fee” to get the money you deserve.