Paying lawyers in advance?

[EskimoArapaho]

This was a surprise to me: divorce lawyers requiring payment up front (court appearances regarding access to children, financial settlement, etc). We're talking about £1750+VAT per day, for example.

Is this common/universal/etc?

[EskimoArapaho]

Thanks for the insights. (FWIW, I have a good friend who is an expert witness on insurance fraud cases, and she often gets paid several years after cases being settled. She does not have a feisty admin/clerk to chase invoices.)

I have a bonus question: what does a consumer (client) do if the work is not done well (and perhaps not at all)? In this case, an hourly rate was agreed, at 5 hours for the half day plus 5 hours preparation. However, on the day, it was clear that barrister had done none of the preparation (or if she had, she had very poor recollection of the most basic details).

The problem my friend has (and it is my friend) is that he's worried that protesting too much simply gets him sacked as a client (and that he still wouldn't get his money back).

[EskimoArapaho]

Jasandjules said:

Is this public access?

Yes. Does it make a difference?

[EskimoArapaho]

Thanks for the extra postings on this.

I saw my friend today and he's just about all out of cash, maxed credit cards, etc. And there's a 2 day 'Finding of Fact' hearing looming (regarding access to children) and then the final financial hearing. And he'll be unrepresented at both.

Meanwhile the other party has access to £80k withdrawn in advance from a bank account. (I'm not side-taking as such here; just explaining how the basic financial situation happens to be stacked at the moment.)