[1] The earliest known hourly billing for legal services in England dates to 1570, when Queen Elizabeth I was invoiced by her solicitors.
[2] While Z>UK DIVORCE offers fixed fees wherever accurate case assessment is possible (e.g., pre-nuptial agreements), some cases require hourly billing due to unpredictability.
[3] If a case cannot be settled without court proceedings, we cannot estimate accurately the time involved. The case may settle at the First Appointment but it may go all the way to a full blown Final Hearing lasting several days.
[4] However, hourly billing can be misused; some lawyers may inflate reported hours.
[5] Certain firms use multiple lawyers on straightforward matters to increase charges.
[6] This practice, known as over-lawyering, results in higher costs from excessive meetings and supervision.
