Solicitors in Kingston, Kingston upon Thames
Finding a solicitor in Kingston upon Thames
Choosing a solicitor feels hard when you do not know where to begin. This is a guide to finding and checking a solicitor in Kingston upon Thames, London, so that you can search for solicitors in Kingston with a clear plan. Three official routes work well:
- The SRA Solicitors Register lets you look up the records of the solicitors and law firms the SRA regulates. The SRA’s “Choosing a solicitor” page tells consumers to use it, because it shows whether someone is a solicitor, where they work and whether a firm is regulated.
- The Law Society’s Find a Solicitor service searches its database by organisation or person, name or SRA ID, location, area of practice and legal issue.
- The “Find a legal aid adviser or family mediator” service finds legal aid advisers by postcode. They ask about your problem and finances to work out if you can get legal aid.
None of these routes depends on the borough you choose, so you can use all three from home.
Courts and tribunals for Kingston upon Thames
Some legal problems end up in court, so it helps to know where the local courts are. Kingston upon Thames County Court and Family Court is at Hearing Centre, St James Road, Kingston upon Thames KT1 2AD. It handles divorce hearings, childcare arrangements on separation, domestic abuse, bankruptcy, housing and money claims.
Kingston upon Thames Crown Court is at 6-8 Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames KT1 2BB. It handles crime.
However, the right court depends on your case. The Find a Court or Tribunal service on GOV.UK gives each court or tribunal’s address, opening times, what it handles and contact details. Therefore, use it to confirm which court handles a case before you travel.
Free and low-cost legal help in Kingston upon Thames
Kingston Citizens Advice is listed on Citizens Advice at Neville House, 55 Eden Street, Kingston KT1 1BW. However, it works by appointment only, and it offers no drop-in service for walk-in visitors.
The official website of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames also has a “Benefits and support” page. It points to local help and support, including food banks, financial support and debt advice.
For national help, start with the GOV.UK “Check if you can get legal aid” service. It asks about your legal problem, income and savings. Then it tells you whether to speak to someone for phone advice or how to find a legal adviser or mediator near you. A legal adviser applies for legal aid for you, since you cannot apply on your own.
If you cannot get legal aid, GOV.UK points to free advice from the Law Centres Network, Citizens Advice and AdviceNow. The Law Centres Network says Law Centres help people in poverty overcome legal problems, and it lists all Law Centres across the UK on one page.
Common reasons to look for a solicitor
People look for a solicitor for many different tasks. Each practice area has its own guide:
- Family law covers matters such as divorce and arrangements for children.
- Conveyancing covers buying or selling a home. If you are unsure whether you need help, read our guide on whether you need a solicitor to buy a house.
- Wills and probate covers making a will and dealing with an estate.
- Employment law covers problems at work.
- Immigration covers questions about visas and the right to stay.
- Criminal defence covers being questioned or charged with an offence.
- Dispute resolution covers disagreements that need settling, such as unpaid money.
- Personal injury covers claims after an accident.
Checking that a solicitor is regulated
Regulation means someone watches over the solicitor. Legal Choices says the SRA keeps watch over all solicitors in England and Wales and the firms they work for. It also says the SRA takes action when solicitors fall below the required standards or act dishonestly.
The SRA calls its register the definitive impartial source about the firms and people it regulates. As a result, you can use it to confirm a firm’s status before you go further. Our guide to checking a solicitor shows you each step to follow.
Questions to ask before you instruct a solicitor
A few questions at the start can prevent confusion later, so ask them early. Ask how the firm charges, and check what its quote covers and leaves out. Ask whether the quote lists every extra cost, because that makes the total easier to check.
Next, ask who will do the work on your case. For example, you might want to know whether a named person will handle it day to day. Ask how the firm will keep you informed, and how often.
Finally, ask how the firm is regulated, and then check the answer on the SRA register yourself. While a friendly answer is welcome, the register is the proof.