Our Services

Budgeting - What you can expect:-

• Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail
  

Getting Budgets right, first time, every time, is vital if you are to maintain the value of your case.

Indeed there are occasions where mistakes in this difficult area could leave you taking a substantial hit to your costs.

As a professional costs firm, specialising in our subject, we regularly encounter and tackle the barriers that such work can engender.

However what may be a new problem to you might be an old and solvable one to us.

• Before Preparing the Budget
  

As one of our clients you get access to our free advice as to the best way to run your case with regards to costs and its myriad of rules. We can advise on, inter alia, CFA, insurance, retainer issues and any other matters that may affect your ability to be fairly recompensed for your future efforts

• Preparing the First Budget
  

At this stage you simply send us your case files (physically or electronically). Upon receipt we process them using our unique methods and system.

Then, before we start working on the future estimates, we check to see if anything has been missed or if we can detect any work that was poorly recorded.

Once we have satisfied ourselves that your case is in as good an order as it can be we progress to identifying all the probable future costs you may incur during the life time of this case. Be assured this is not junior or unqualified work and Veritas will not treat it as such.

Always consciously aware that situations may change and assumptions needs qualifying we will, during this process, advise on strategy and agree a budget with you.

With our unique bespoke I.T. system we will produce all the necessary the documentation.

You can rest assured that our bespoke I.T. system is completely DATA DRIVEN and no reliance is made on copies of spreadsheets or 'typed up' documents.

• Supplementary Budgets
  

On some occasions it is conceivable that you may be asked to prepare an up to date budget bringing incurred costs up to date and estimates recalculated.

Because our bespoke I.T. system is Data Driven we are able to create and calculate subsequent budgets and be confident that accuracy is maintained and you are thus not left vulnerable to claims of inconsistency.

• The Billing Process
  

Should it progress to Bill we will prepare it in the normal way, based upon the data we have already gathered and bringing it up to date where necessary. With our Data Driven methods and the fact that it is highly integrated within our system we feel it should be nigh on impossible for the opposing party to claim discrepancies because of poor or sloppy handling.

Given the length and complexity of the whole process and the many hands that can touch upon it we do feel that using other methods could lead to successful challenges.

Our bills will, therefore, reflect accurately the items maintained in the previous budget(s).

By reducing the chances of successful challenges on this issue and by adopting this process, we believe, you stand a greater chance of recovering the optimal amount of monies due to you.

• After the Bill
  

Should you wish we will negotiate on your behalf and, confident in our work, will support you and your claim as if it were our own. You, as always stay in control and we will continue to offer our advise until settlement is reached.

Should you negotiate yourself we offer all the data and backing possible in order to maximise your returns.

What you can expect:-

• FREE Pick up of Your Files
  

We instruct national couriers to pick up your files from your office on a day convenient to you!

• Turnaround
  

On receipt of your file we will inform you of the expected turnaround time to complete the piece of work. Our standard turnaround for most Bills is between 7-14 days

• Advice
  

Where appropriate we will provide relevant advice and information on the piece of work done pointing out any matters which you may want to consider.
This advice is always free of charge.

• Preparation of the Necessary Documentation
  

No matter which billing documents you require, where appropriate,we will make sure they are prepared. To give you an idea we can:

• Prepare all the necessary documents to go along with the Bill of Costs e.g. the N252 and certificate pages.
• Prepare Statements providing the relevant details of any additional liabilities if required.
• If we've drafted a Court of Protection Bill, we'll also prepare the N258B so that you have everything you need to send your file to the SCCO

• Your own Confidential Report
  

There is no getting away from it, legal bills can be complex and difficult to read through which is why we produce an additional unique confidential report just for you. These reports contain statistical information which enable you to check that the bill is accurate. As a minor example, it comes with a list of disbursements so you can feel confident that we haven't missed anything. Let's face it - you certify that the bill is accurate so you need to have confidence in the results

• The Final Documents
  

If you decide to retain conduct of the negotiations then we will provide you with everything you require. You can feel confident when negotiating with a Veritas bill in your hands. Should you meet resistance in your negotiations then we will happily advise on the next steps we think you should take to obtain the best possible outcome.

If we are negotiating then we will do so in a forthright manner; our in-depth knowledge of the file together with our expertise allows us to determine the veracity (or lack thereof) of any challenges and enable us to support your work effectively. See negotiation for more information.

Key Considerations:-

• Not Everyone Can Negotiate
  

Many people have a job which includes negotiation and yet, truth be told, most are not suited to the task; many freely admit they don't actually like doing it. If you enjoy your work, you usually do a better job; we only allow staff to negotiate if they enjoy it and have the correct aptitude to employ that enthusiasm. Since this is part of our core business, we monitor our results objectively and keep a track on case law, precedents, current tactics and apply them where necessary.

• The Advantage of Someone Else Negotiating on Your Behalf
  

One of the dangers that we are all susceptible to when negotiating on our own behalf is that we occasionally give in just to make life easier. This can be compounded where there is no-one else to report/account to, which makes it too easy to accept an unacceptable situation. Two of the main reasons for letting someone negotiate on your behalf are:-

1. Someone representing your interests will do so more strongly because they have to report their results and recommendations to you.
2. You can feel confident that any offer you accept is backed by our expertise and your partners can feel confident that you made an informed decision.

• Do You Have One Hand Tied Behind Your Back?
  

Knowledge and expertise in costs is an advantage and not having those weapons to bear is a distinct disadvantage. Are the arguments being presented real or spurious? Are the tactics your opponent is employing standard or different? How do you deal with offers and, importantly, HOW should you make offers? These aspects are standard for us but the answers are always dependent upon the unique circumstances that a case produces

• You Want a Level Playing Field?
  

Sorry there is no such thing. You either have the advantage or you do not. If you agreed with the above question you should definitely hand over negotiation to someone who will do it for you.

• Is it Worth it?
  

By its nature, the legal costs industry is perpetually changing and it's important to keep up to speed with all the developments to ensure that you obtain the appropriate (and maximum) amount for the work you have done. Do you have the time to keep up-to-date?

There are also some inherent misconceptions and stumbling blocks in costs. Some opponents believe that costs are automatically inflated by a magic percentage (we do not do this), some think all schedules are suspect which may result in ridiculous offers. In truth, negotiation starts at the time the cost documentation is prepared. The more accurate the documentation, the better it stands up to scrutiny and the stronger your ability to maintain the time you spent on the case. Let's face it, you are worth it!

• Who has the Final say?
  

YOU DO!

How we work for you:-

• What we Take on
  

We represent solicitor clients on either side of the fence. We are equally happy to defend a claim as we are to challenge one. After all, to properly represent someone's interests, you need to appreciate both sides of an argument. We also do a limited amount of corporate work assisting companies in understanding and assessing their own legal costing issues.

• Experienced Advocates
  

Our senior staff have experience of all manner of cases at all levels, from simple telephone hearings to attending the SCCO in London. As with negotiation, it certainly helps to have specialists in the subject on your side. We have experience in representing both paying parties and receiving parties; experience of both makes us better at each.

• Advice
  

The "Ostrich" approach is both costly and derogative in terms of reputation, yet it is surprising how many parties bury their head in the sand until it is prised out with an imminent hearing (or threat thereof). That said, with Veritas guiding you, before you even get close to a hearing you will understand fully why you are approaching one and what risks are involved. On the rare occasions that you find yourself facing a Detailed Assessment, we will endeavour to do everything possible for you, ensure you are updated at every juncture and provide you with our very latest advice. At all times, you have the final say.

• Hearings
  

In addition to telephone hearings we can attend all manner of costs Applications and Assessments throughout England and Wales.

• Professional
  

Although we see ourselves as a friendly and approachable firm, we assure you that we certainly have our serious side. When we represent you we ensure that our approach and professionalism is always at its highest level. We value our reputation and our advocates see their career and reputation as one and the same.

Legal Aid-

• Competitive Service
  

With the stigma associated with Legal Aid, you might find it surprising that we offer this service, let alone, competitively. However, we align ourselves with the interests of our clients and for those hard pressed clients who do offer this important service, we support them to the fullest. You will find our charges for this kind of work both realistic and competitive

• Claim 1, 1A etc.
  

Whist at first this may seem like just form filling – it isn't! You need to know what should and should not be included, what rate should be applied, whether a fixed or graduated scheme applies and most importantly, the reporting requirements of the LAA. In any event, we can complete these for you without fuss and within our standard turnaround.

• Three Column Bills
  

We provide these for LAA (only) cases using our experience and the same comprehensive software that we use for the biggest of bills. This also means that we keep data records of all the information should any enquiry or audit be necessary. You may be surprised to learn that we also provide our useful management report, even for three column LAA work!

• Six Column Bills
  

Our software is also capable of handling Bills of costs that also contain elements of LAA work. The standard six column approach is used but is married with our easy to understand bills. You will be able to see clearly who owes what and how it is broken down. You even get two management reports; one detailing the LAA work and the other detailing the non LAA work. Each report gives you a wealth of information that enables you to verify, and feel confident that, we have included everything you are entitled to.

Fire and Forget?

• Simply leave it to us without losing control.
  

We understand that to use this level of service requires your trust; it can be a difficult thing to put your work completely into the hands of others. To enable you to trust us we demonstrate our commitment at all times and, more importantly, we keep you informed at all times with regular updates. Trust requires honesty; we will also keep you informed even when the news is not favourable or our advice changes.

• Authority
  

We only take the next step with the full authority to do so, allowing you to stay in charge whilst having confidence that no situation will "run-on" or get out of hand. If we hit any stumbling blocks along the way, not only will we inform you, but we will also offer our considered advice on how to address the next step.