Frequently Asked Questions

Before we are able to commence work for you we need to see certain original documents, which we will copy and keep.  We need to obtain proof of your identity and your address.

We will need:

Evidence of Identity
Current signed passport
Current UK full driving licence
Current EEA photo driving licence
Benefit book or Benefits Agency notification letter
National Identity Card

and also

Evidence of Residence
Current UK full driving licence
Utility Bill dated within in the last 3 months (not a mobile telephone bill)
Council Tax bill for the current year
Inland Revenue statement or tax demand
Current certificate of Insurance (house or motor)
Bank/Building Society/Credit Union statement (dated within the last 3 months)
(Or passbook with current address)
Recent mortgage statement from a recognised lender

For a fee of around £8.00 we can check your identity and residence using an internet based reference agency.  Although you will have to pay for that service, it is faster and less time consuming for you as you don’t have to attend our offices personally.

Yes.  We will speak with any client free of charge for a short while in order to give them a rough idea of any likely charges, explore their eligibility for any form of Legal Aid, whether the case is suitable for running on a No Win No Fee, what is going to be involved in the case for them, and what work we will have to do.
 
The best way of proceeding is to email us with details of your problem and one of our lawyers will either email back or telephone you to give you some advice.  Send your email to our senior partner who will pass it to the most suitable person.  email to john@clarkwillis.co.uk
 

Yes, in exceptional circumstances, such as disability or incapacity we are able to travel to see you at your home.  Alternatively, if the distance from your home to our office is too great we are able to see you at one of the many conference centres we use in the North East.  As part of our Health, Safety & Risk policy, all our home visits are conducted by two members of our staff, and should you smoke we must ask that during the course of any visit you refrain from doing so.

That depends on the case.  In conveyancing matters, you will be assigned one lawyer who will be assisted by one or in busy times two support staff.  In litigation matters, if it is a straightforward matter you will probably have only one lawyer working on the case but in more complex matters we will use a range of lawyers from our senior partners, associate solicitors, assistant solicitors, legal executives, trainee solicitors and paralegals.  We will ensure that the appropriate level of lawyer works on the appropriate issues in your case so that it is dealt with more efficiently and of course cost effectively.

We electronically scan your file of papers and then confidentially destroy the original documents.  Any documents you have given to us will be sent back to you before they are scanned.  We use a certified paper recycling company to ensure that the information and date contained within your file is properly disposed of.