Uniquely Placed

Civitas Law is Wales’ leading specialist civil and public law barristers’ chambers. We are an award-winning set of lawyers, ranked as a Top Tier set in The Legal 500 and a Leading Set in Chambers’ UK Bar Guide. We are recognised by the Bar and clients alike, for our excellence, innovation and strength in depth in advisory work, drafting, mediation and advocacy. 

Established in 2008, our ethos is based on our founding and progressive principles – to be at the heart of the evolution of legal services and society and to provide clear legal advice which is easily understood by our lay clients.

Progressive and Innovative

At Civitas Law, we understand the need to reduce the traditional barriers between barristers and solicitors. Our Legal 500 Top Tier representation and Chambers UK Bar Guide is matched by outstanding front-of-house facilities, for use for conferences, meetings, tele and video conferencing, dispute resolution matters and events/seminars. Civitas Law is fully accessible and has some parking available for visitors. The successful use of hot-desking facilities and mobile technology also allows barristers to be highly reactive to clients’ needs across Wales and England in terms of conferences, trials and meetings away from chambers.

Our Areas of Expertise

Whilst the principal areas where chambers provides legal services are in the fields of personal injury, clinical negligence, employment, public law and commercial law, our practice expertise does cover sixteen main areas with a wide range of specialisms within each:

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Administrative and Public

Clinical Negligence

Company, Commercial and Insolvency

Construction, Planning and Environment

Education

Employment

Housing

Immigration, Asylum and Nationality

Inquests and Inquiries

Personal Injury

Professional Discipline

Police Law

Property and Land

Regulatory, Health and Safety and Licensing

Wills, Trusts and Probate

The wide range of experience available within each of the above areas of expertise means that the needs of the client can be met, from a case on the small track, to a complex appeal.

Commitment to Excellence

Our professional standards and advice and commitment to excellence are supported by a first-class client care team and service-oriented approach to help deliver and support our clients beyond all expectations. We work closely with our professional clients to ensure that our service is tailored to their unique requirements and business objectives.

Hence, headquartered in Cardiff, our reputation and reach spreads across the whole of Wales and England, serving solicitors and businesses and being accessible to members of the public directly.

‘The large number of specialist barristers, the range and depth of expertise, and the volume of high-value cases here all ensure that Civitas Law continues to dominate the rest of the field on circuit.’  (Chambers UK Bar Guide)

Fees and pricing models

Any of the following are invited to contact the clerks on 02920 375020  or via our contact page for a quotation for our barristers’ services:

• Solicitors
• Licensed Access clients, who may either hold a licence issued by the Bar standards Board, or be a member of a professional body which has been recognised by the Bar Standards Board; and
• Members of the public who wish to instruct a barrister under the Public Access scheme [link].

We will provide you with a quotation as soon as possible.  We always aim to set out quotations clearly, but if once you have considered it there is something which you do not understand, please contact us.

Barristers in chambers most often charge hourly rates for private work although fixed fees can be used.  Our barristers also occasionally accept instructions under conditional fee agreements (“no win, no fee” agreements) in certain circumstances.  For information, please contact the clerks on 02920 375030 or via our contact page.

The pricing models used can include the following:

• Brief fee and refresher – a brief fee is a fixed fee which covers preparation for a trial and the first day.  A refresher is a fixed fee for each subsequent day of the trial (which includes ongoing preparation).
• Capped fee – we charge an amount of money per hour (an hourly rate) but agree with the client that the total amount will not be more than a set level.
• Conditional fee agreement – a client will only pay for work if they receive compensation as a result of the proceedings.
• Fixed fee – we charge a set amount of money for work.  By charging on a fixed fee basis, we shall be taking on the risk that the work may take longer than expected, and so we may charge a higher fee to compensate for this.  
• Hourly rate – we charge the client per hour worked.  He setting of hourly rates is not necessarily straightforward and many factors may determine the rate which is chosen including seniority, expertise and the type of client.

Timescales

Timescales for a case or a piece of work may vary depending on factors such as barristers’ availability, the availability of the client, the type and complexity of the case, the other side’s approach and court or tribunal waiting times.