AR Ralph Solicitors Welling, Bexley, Bexleyheath, Woolwich, East Wickham, London

LEGAL AID

We have legal aid contracts in Housing and Community Care law. We provide advice, assistance, and representation in these two areas of law under the legal aid contract. Currently, this accounts for approximately 70% of our workload, mainly due to the housing crisis.

In most cases, clients will need to satisfy the merits test and means test for legal aid for such matters. Information on eligibility for civil issues can be found at https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid/eligibility.

PRIVATELY FUNDED MATTERS

At AR RALPH SOLICITORS, we only undertake privately funded matters where (a) The client is not eligible for legal aid under the applicable rules, or (b) We do not provide legal aid in a specific area of law and the prospective client may be eligible for legal aid by going to another firm, or the client expressly agrees to fund their matter privately; or (c) The client voluntarily agrees to fund their matter without legal aid, for any reason.

INFORMATION ON PEOPLE WHO CARRY OUT WORK IN OUR FIRM

Experience and Qualifications

Our team has over 5 years of collective experience in delivering high-quality work in all matters relating to Housing (legal aid), Family (matrimonial matters), Immigration and non-contentious Employment matters.

We have two team members who may be assigned to work on your matter. Regardless of who works on your matter, they will be supervised by Raphael Azubuike, the senior and general supervisor of the firm.

Mr Raphael A. Azubuike is a sole practitioner. Having completed his LLB (Hons) in 1998, followed by the LPC, and later his LLM at London Metropolitan University, he qualified as a solicitor in 2014. Before his qualification in 1998, he had worked under supervision in other firms, undertaking work in immigration matters, conveyancing, criminal defence, family law, and employment law.

He is well-experienced in his areas of practice and dedicated to providing exceptional legal services. He is registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and has the skills to ensure that your case is handled professionally.

ISSUE OF PRICING

Please take notice that solicitors' fees are based according to their grade.

Fee earners are categorised according to their level of experience and years of practice. To assist, we have categorised it below:

• Solicitors with 8 years or more post-qualification experience are classed as "Grade A" fee earners.
• Solicitors with 4 years but less than 8 years post-qualification experience are classed as "Grade B" fee earners.
• Solicitors with less than 4 years post-qualification experience are classed as "Grade C" fee earners.
• Trainee Solicitors and Paralegals are classed as "Grade D" fee earners.

CHARGES ARE ON TIME BASIS

In the interest of transparency, the current hourly rates for our solicitors and fee earners are based on the prevailing rates recommended by the Senior Courts Costs Office (SCCO), which are available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/solicitors-guideline-hourly-rates. 2025.

• Grade A Fee Earners: £312 per hour.
• Grade B Fee Earners: £256.00 per hour.
• Grade C Fee Earners: £204 per hour.
• Grade D Fee Earners: £143.00 per hour.

The hourly rates above may change in line with any changes made by the SCCO.

Routine letters which we write and routine telephone calls that we make and receive will be charged at 10% of the hourly rate of the solicitor or fee earner acting for the client. For example, if a "Grade A" fee earner is working on a matter at a rate of £312.00 per hour and writes a routine letter, the charge for this will be £31.20. Long letters (exceeding half of an A4 page) and long telephone calls (exceeding 6 minutes) will be charged on a time basis. For example, if a "Grade A" fee earner working at a rate of £312.00 per hour spends 30 minutes writing a long letter on a client's matter, the fee for writing such a letter will be £156.00.

PAYMENT FOR DISBURSEMENTS

We may incur certain disbursements (expenses) to progress a client's matter. The client will, therefore, need to cover the costs associated with their case.

What is not included in our charge and disbursement: Such expenses include Court/Tribunal fees, Medical Report fees, Expert fees, Barristers' fees, Interpretation/translation fees, travel costs, bank charges, etc.

VAT

As a VAT-registered firm, our charges are subject to VAT. The current VAT rate is 20%, as set by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). This will be added to the total cost of services provided. For further details on VAT and how it applies to our services, please get in touch with us directly or refer to HMRC VAT Information.

IMMIGRATION AND VAT

Charging VAT about immigration matters can be complex, as it may depend on the client's location and the type of immigration permission they hold. Our fees for work carried out for a client living outside the UK or living in the UK but without leave to remain will not usually attract VAT.

It is worth noting that the VAT rate may change in accordance with guidelines issued by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

FEES FOR ADDITIONAL WORK

We will inform a client if any unforeseen additional work becomes necessary (for example, due to unexpected difficulties or if your requirements or the circumstances significantly change during the matter).

FIXED FEE

In appropriate cases, we can agree on a fixed fee to assist a client where it is possible to estimate the time that will be spent on a matter.

This is likely to be the case where the matter is straightforward, such as assisting a client to make an application to the Home Office, a straightforward appeal against refusal of leave to remain, or advising on a Settlement Agreement for an employment matter; a one-off representation at a Magistrates' Court hearing for an uncontested matter involving a guilty plea; and Divorce application.

IMMIGRATION MATTERS

Experience and Qualifications

Our team has over 5 years of collective experience in delivering high-quality work in all matters relating to Immigration.

We have two team members who may be assigned to work on your matter. Regardless of who works on your matter, they will be supervised by Raphael Azubuike, the senior and general supervisor of the firm.

Mr Raphael Azubuike has over 20 years of experience in all immigration matters. He has undertaken cases from the start to the Court of Appeal.

Mr Raphael A. Azubuike is a sole practitioner. Having completed his LLB (Hons) in 1998, followed by the LPC, and later his LLM at London Metropolitan University, he qualified as a solicitor in 2014. Before his qualification in 1998, he had worked under supervision in other firms, undertaking work in immigration matters, conveyancing, criminal defence, family law, and employment law.

He is well-experienced in his areas of practice and dedicated to providing exceptional legal services. He is registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and has the skills to ensure that your case is handled professionally.

Please be advised the fees below do not include disbursements such as Home Office fees, Immigration Health Surcharge, counsel fees, and biometric enrolment.

There are instances where VAT may not apply, as indicated below:

SERVICES INCLUDED IN OUR FEES

What is included:

The fees outlined are primarily for the professional services of our firm in connection with your case. This includes the full spectrum of our expertise, including but not limited to a thorough analysis and advice on the relevant laws and procedural requirements, preparation of your application ensuring its compliance and maximise its chances of success, ongoing and proactive communication with both you and any involved third parties to facilitate a smooth process, and management of your case from its inception to the final decision.

What is not included:

Any third-party costs which we may incur on your behalf are not included in our professional fees. These can include, but are not limited to, the following:

• UKVI fee, such as visa application fees, Immigration Health Surcharge, etc.;
• Payments made to third parties on your behalf, such as HM Passport Office or to the Land Registry, etc.;
• Counsel’s fees. If engaging a Barrister for advice is necessary, you will be required to cover their fees, which depend on their experience and the case’s complexity. We will consult with you regarding the options and associated costs before any such instruction, ensuring transparency about the barrister’s hourly rates involved in your case.
• Fees payable to Courts or Tribunals;
• External Translation fees;
• Costs of Experts or Agents instructed on your behalf;
• Non-routine postage charges and courier charges;
• NHS Surcharge

Stages Of An Application

• Contacting Our Office and Initial Consultation

Initial Consultation:

• Duration: 1-2 hours
• Description: Discuss the details of your case and outline possible strategies.
• The client will meet with the solicitor or fee earner allocated to deal with the matter to obtain instructions on the facts and nature of the case. This is the initial consultation, which may take between 1 and 2 hours.
• We will consider any available papers and other evidence provided by the client and advise the client accordingly.
• Explain the Home Office application procedure or Tribunal appeal process to the client so that the client knows what to expect.
• After this, we shall send a Client Care letter as soon as possible, but no later than 7 days, to confirm the client’s instructions.

Case Preparation:

Duration: 2-5 weeks

Description: Gathering evidence, drafting necessary documents, and formulating the legal strategy.

– Arrange to take any witness statements, if necessary.
– Obtain further instructions from the client (if necessary) and answer any follow-up queries

which the client may have, as well as carry out any further preparatory work.
– If the matter relates to an application to the Home Office, the client will be given

Opportunity to go through and agree on the content of the application.

Submission of Application/Case Filing:

Duration: Varies based on the type of case and urgency.

Description: Formal submission of applications or initiation of legal proceedings.

After this process, when we are satisfied with the preparation, the matter will be sent to the Home Office.

Review and Response:

Duration: 4-8 weeks (depending on the response time from the opposing party or authority)

Description: Reviewing responses from the other party or authority and providing further documentation if needed.

– Upon receipt of a decision from the Home Office or the Tribunal’s decision, we will discuss the outcome with the client and agree on further steps, if necessary.

– Any further steps which may be necessary will be subject to additional fees to be agreed upon.

– If the matter relates to an appeal, we will prepare the bundle and send the hearing bundle to court, as well as attend the Tribunal with the client on the day of the hearing.

Hearing/Trial:

Duration: Varies significantly; typically scheduled several months after filing.

Description: Presentation of your case before the court or tribunal.

On the day of the hearing, we meet the client to have another conference before the hearing. The time spent at the Tribunal will depend on the case and when the matter is called. After the hearing, we will discuss the outcome with the client.

Resolution/Outcome:

Duration: Varies from a few weeks to several months after the hearing.

Description: Final judgment or decision.

Please note that these are general estimates, and actual time scales may vary depending on the specifics of your case. No two cases are the same. Therefore, the length of time it takes for each case to conclude will depend on the nature and the facts specific to each case. The factors that determine the length of time it takes for a case to be concluded will include but are not limited to, how long it takes the Home Office to decide on a case or how long it takes the Tribunal to list an appeal for a hearing.

Duration of Application.

We cannot provide a timescale as to when the Home Office will make a decision on an application or when a Tribunal hearing will take place, as this is outside our control.

We cannot guarantee the processing time of your Home Office application. Read the current processing times.

We will generally be able to submit applications within 1 to 2 weeks of you instructing us, but we will let you know at the earliest opportunity if it is likely to take longer than this.

Please note the anticipated number of hours and fees are an estimate based on the facts above. All applications are likely to vary, and of course, we can give you a more accurate estimate once we have more information about your specific case. 

Criminal Matters:

Our fixed fees are typically based on the estimated time required for a case. Thus, for example, the fixed cost for a matter that will not exceed two hours will be £700, and a fixed fee for a matter that will not exceed four hours will be £1400.

For a sample of summary offence in the Magistrates Court:

Any fixed fee we agree on would include the following:

–  Attendance and Preparation, including obtaining the client’s instructions,  considering the papers including charge sheet or summons and any other information disclosed by the prosecution and available evidence;

– Taking statements from the client and any relevant witnesses;

– Providing advice on the court procedures and likely sentence following a guilty plea.

What is not Included in our fixed fee for summary offence in the Magistrates court

Fees not included:

Disbursement:

–  Fees for any expert, medical report, barrister’s fee, Interpreters’ Fee, or  Translators’ fees for translating any document in a foreign language, etc.

• Any additional disbursement/expenses for travel costs outside London and the M25.

• We do not charge for travel costs or expenses within London and the M25.

Stages:

The key stages for a typical case in the Magistrates Court where there has been a guilty plea, and a date has been fixed for a sentencing hearing are as follows:

– The client will meet with the solicitor or fee earner allocated to deal with the matter, to provide instructions on the facts and nature of the case.

– We will consider initial disclosure from the prosecution and any other evidence and advise the client accordingly.

– Send a Client Care letter as soon as possible but no later than 7 days to confirm the client’s instructions.

– Arrange to take any witness statements, if necessary.

– Explain the court procedure so that the client knows what to expect on the day of the hearing and the sentencing options available to the court.

– We will conduct any further preparatory work and obtain further instructions from the client if necessary and answer any follow-up queries that the client may have.

Timescale:

– We cannot provide a timescale of when a hearing will take place, as this depends on the court listing for that day.

Further steps:

– We will attend court on the day and meet with the client before the hearing. The time spent in court will depend on the peculiar facts and circumstances of each case. We will discuss the outcome with the client.

– Any further steps which may be necessary will be subject to additional fees to be agreed.

How long the matter will take

The length of time it takes for each case to conclude will depend on the nature and the facts specific to each case.

The factors that determine the length of time it takes for a case to be concluded will include, but not limited to,

the plea entered by the client and the court listing on the hearing date, how long the hearing lasts, etc.

Employment Law

Experience and Qualifications

Our team has over 5 years of collective experience in delivering high-quality work in all matters relating to employment law.

We have two team members who may be assigned to work on your matter. Regardless of who works on your matter, they will be supervised by Raphael Azubuike, the senior and general supervisor of the firm.

Mr Raphael Azubuike has over 20 years of experience in all immigration matters. He has undertaken cases from the start to the industrial tribunal.

Mr Raphael A. Azubuike is a sole practitioner. Having completed his LLB (Hons) in 1998, followed by the LPC, and later his LLM at London Metropolitan University, he qualified as a solicitor in 2014. Before his qualification in 1998, he had worked under supervision in other firms, undertaking work in immigration matters, conveyancing, criminal defence, family law, and employment law.

He is well-experienced in his areas of practice and dedicated to providing exceptional legal services. He is registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and has the skills to ensure that your case is handled professionally.

We charge £120 per hour plus VAT @ 20%.

To conduct an initial consultation, during which we can provide you with some initial advice and an estimate of the likely costs for your entire case.

We charge agreed fees for settlement agreements ranging from £350 to £700 plus VAT @ 20%

Most of our employment matters are non-contentious in nature.

Fixed Fees

In some limited cases, after reviewing your situation, we can adjust the costs of your case. This means that we will charge you a fixed fee for your case, even if the work on your application takes longer than anticipated, provided that there are no unforeseen complications or significant changes to your instructions. Cases where we may be able to offer a fixed fee include:

• Settlement Agreements.
• One-off advice on a particular employment matter.
• Grievance or appeal document drafting based on clear and concise instructions.

Given the nature of the work involved, it is unlikely that we will be able to offer a fixed fee for cases that are likely to proceed to a hearing at the Employment Tribunal or court.

What it does not include

The fixed fee will not include any disbursements, such as court fees, VAT, or Counsel’s fees.

VAT

VAT is required to be added to our fees and all disbursements. This applies if your usual place of residence is the UK.

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, for example, barrister, expert fees, court fees and translation fees if needed. We will notify you in advance of any expenses that may be incurred.

Where your matter proceeds to an Employment Tribunal or Court, Counsel’s fees will also be incurred for preparation and attendance at the hearing. These depend on the experience of the advocate.

Travel costs may be incurred if we travel outside the office on your behalf to a Tribunal and/or Court, depending on whether you want us to also be in attendance with Counsel.

Bringing claims to the industrial tribunal.

It is challenging to estimate the total costs for bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal, as this can vary greatly depending on the complexity of the case.

in our experience, the total costs for these claims ranges from £14,500 to £16,000.00, plus vat @ 20%.

Following an initial consultation and review of any paperwork that you have relating to your case, our solicitors will be able to provide you with a detailed estimate of how much your particular case is likely to cost.

Factors that could make a case more complex and, therefore, do not fall within the price band above:

• If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim;
• Defending claims that litigants in person bring;
• Making or defending a costs application;
• Complex preliminary issues, for example, whether the claimant is disabled (if the parties do not agree on this);
• The number of witnesses and documents;
• If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim, e.g. if you are dismissed after blowing the whistle on your employer;
• Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal;
• A stand-alone discrimination claim such as harassment/victimisation

For the more complex cases that have the above factors, we will provide a separate fee quote.

There will also be an additional charge if the solicitor is required to attend a Tribunal Hearing. This will be charged at the solicitor’s hourly rate of £312 plus VAT @ 20%. Unless otherwise agreed.

Key stages

The fees set out above cover all of the work about the following key stages of a claim:

• Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on merits and likely compensation (this will be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change);
• Entering into pre-claim conciliation as this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached;
• Preparing claim or response;
• Reviewing and advising on a claim or response from another party;
• Exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process;
• Preparing or considering a schedule of loss;
• Preparing for (and attending) a Preliminary Hearing;
• Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents;
• Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing on their content with witnesses;
• Preparing bundle of documents;
• Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements;
• Agreeing on a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list, and
• Preparation and attendance at the Final Hearing, including instructions to Counsel

The stages set out above are merely an indication. Some of the stages above may not be required depending on your circumstances, and there may be additional stages which are unique to your circumstances.

You can handle aspects of the claim yourself and only seek our advice about specific stages. This can also be arranged depending on your individual needs.

How long will my matter take?

The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the particular details of your case and the stage at which your case is resolved.

There are some matters outside of our control which may impact the time that your case takes to be resolved, such as how long it takes for your case to be listed by the court or Tribunal.

Where it proceeds to a full hearing at the Employment Tribunal, it is estimated that an unfair or wrongful dismissal case will cost at least £15,500 plus VAT @ 20%.to resolve. However, this is just an estimate, and we will, of course, be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.

Family – Matrimonial Matters

Price for initial consultation: £100 plus VAT @ 20%

What the initial consultation includes:

A one-hour fact-finding appointment to provide initial advice and guidance on the issues faced.

What the initial consultation does not include:

Reviewing case papers in detail, drafting court documentation, preparing correspondence, liaising with the opponent or third parties, or writing advice following the meeting.

Home Visit: Additional fee of £200.00 plus VAT @ 20%

Divorce (Applicant): £600 plus VAT @ 20%
Divorce (Respondent): £400 plus VAT @ 20%

What’s included (Applicant):

The fixed fee covers divorce proceedings but excludes:

– Court fees
– Serving papers if the spouse does not acknowledge service
– Applying for deemed service or substituted service
– Representing you at court hearings
– Amending papers already sent to the court
– Obtaining or translating the marriage certificate
– Any children or financial advice

A revised estimate will be provided for excluded items based on the solicitor’s hourly rate.

What’s included (Respondent):

The fixed fee covers divorce response but excludes:

– Applying for a Final Order (if not applied for by the Applicant)
– Representing you at court hearings
– Any children or financial advice

If the client chooses not to proceed, the fixed fee remains payable.

Court Fees:

Disbursement;

The court fee for divorce or dissolution is currently £593.

Divorce Process:

– Application: Your spouse must acknowledge receipt and consent to the divorce.
– Conditional Order: Can be applied for after 20 weeks.
– Final Order: Apply six weeks and one day after the Conditional Order. If not applied for, the Respondent may apply after three months.

Timeframe: The process typically takes 8–10 months.

Financial Remedies/Settlement: Charged at hourly rates/agreed rate:

– Grade A: £312/hour
– Grade B: £256/hour
– Grade C: £204/hour
– Grade D: £143/hour

Where parties have reached an agreement, costs to draft a Consent Order and associated documents are estimated at £2,000–£3,000 plus VAT, plus £58 court fee.

If negotiation or disclosure is needed, and matters are resolved without court proceedings, estimated costs are £4,000–£4,500 plus VAT, plus £58 court fee.

If court proceedings are necessary:

• Stage 1 (First Appointment): £5,000–£8,000 plus VAT
• Stage 2 (FDR Hearing): £8,000–£13,000 plus VAT
• Stage 3 (Final Hearing): £13,000–£22,000 plus VAT

Additional disbursements may include:

– £275 court issue fee
– Expert, medical, interpreter, or translator fees
– Barristers’ fees

We will keep clients updated on costs at regular intervals. Costs may increase or decrease depending on the progress of the case.

LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY

Our legal fees:

£400 per application for either property & finance, or health; Plus VAT @ 20%

£800.00 for both documents (Property & Finance and Health LPA- Plus VAT at 20%

These fees include:-

• meeting with you to discuss your requirements, explain Lasting Powers of Attorney and answer all of your questions.
• Preparing the Lasting Powers of Attorney.
• I am meeting with you to sign all documents.
• If you prefer, we can gather all the necessary information over the phone before you come in so the documents will be ready for you to sign upon arrival, and only one meeting will be required.
• Acting as your witness when you sign the documents.
• Acting as your Certificate Provider to certify you have mental capacity and understand what you are signing.
• Dealing with your attorneys to arrange signatures, including meeting with them to act as their witness if they wish.
• Applying to register the LPA’s with the Office of the Public Guardian.
• Applying for an exemption or reduction to the registration fee where appropriate.
• I am providing you with the original LPAs for your safekeeping.
• All associated correspondence and advice.
• Storing your Lasting Powers of Attorney in our on-site secure storage facility.

The fees quoted above do not include:-

• VAT

Disbursement

• Registration fees payable to the Office of the Public Guardian for registration of each LPA of £82 per LPA.  You are exempt from paying the registration fees if you are in receipt of certain benefits (such as Guaranteed State Pension Credit) or only pay 50% of the cost if you have an individual gross annual income of £12000 or less.
• Home visit.  An additional £150 is payable for a local home visit.