Paul Broad, Partner

Involve your solicitor at an early stage in negotiations (once Heads of Terms have been agreed, it is often more difficult for a solicitor to be able to negotiate changes to these).

Ensure that your solicitor is aware of your objectives and that he or she understands them and is happy to work with you to achieve these.

Choose a solicitor who has the appropriate skill set and expertise to deal with your matter.

How much are you going to charge?

This, of course, depends on the nature and complexity of the matter involved but I always provide a pretty accurate indication of cost. There are some expenses which can be mitigated. For example, there are legitimate ways of minimising Stamp Duty Land Tax which can sometimes be applied which are often not generally appreciated by non-specialist solicitors.

How long will it take?

I am happy to say how long a matter should take to conclude, but there are always several parties involved in any transaction and I sometimes find myself using my experience (as well as tact) to encourage other parties to keep up with general expectations.

What does this mean?

I pride myself on having the ability to explain technical wording in a straightforward and understandable way, whether this be to an experienced property developer or a landowner selling land for development. My experience is that clients do not wish to be blinded by science and the use of technical terms. They need to understand not only what the provision means but also the impact this may have in attaining their objectives.