Fees and How We Work
Nobody publishes their defamation fees, so people ring around in the dark. Here is how ours work, in the order you will meet them.
The Initial Consultation
An initial consultation costs €400 plus VAT, payable in advance, by phone, Zoom or in person at either office. It is a working session, not a sales call: one consultation establishes the legal position, the documents that decide it, the realistic routes and the deadlines. For a defamation matter that means whether the words are defamatory and identify you, whether a company can show serious harm, which defences the other side will raise, whether a Press Council complaint or right of reply must be considered first, whether a letter, a Circuit Court declaratory order or a High Court action fits the case, and the one-year clock from first publication. Many people leave the consultation knowing that a letter is all they need, or that the words, however hurtful, are not actionable.
Work After the Consultation
Any work after that is quoted in writing under section 150 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 before it starts, on an hourly basis, so you know the rate and the likely range before anything is incurred. Money on account is required before larger matters begin, such as Circuit Court or High Court proceedings or an identification order application, and the quote is updated in writing if the scope changes. A solicitor’s letter seeking removal and an apology is quoted as a fixed sum after the consultation.
The Costs Risk in Court Proceedings
Defamation claims are court proceedings. If a claim fails, the court can order the losing party to pay the other side’s costs, and that risk is explained in writing before anything is issued. Most Circuit Court claims settle before hearing. A solicitor’s letter seeking removal and an apology is quoted as a fixed sum after the consultation. Where the author is anonymous, the Circuit Court may also order the applicant for an identification order to pay the intermediary’s costs, and that is part of the arithmetic before any application is made.
Section 149
In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement (section 149, Legal Services Regulation Act 2015). We do not offer, and cannot offer, any arrangement under which our fee depends on the result.
Before You Book
Two free tools will sharpen the consultation: the Defamation Claim Checker walks through the elements of a claim, and the Time Limit Calculator works your dates through. The contact page lists what to have ready, and the guide to what it costs to sue for defamation explains how the court choice drives the cost.
Book a Consultation
One session establishes whether the words are actionable, the defences, the routes and the deadlines - and whether a letter is all you need.
Call 01 5827148