Solicitors in Ilford, Redbridge
Finding a solicitor in Redbridge
Choosing a solicitor feels hard when you do not know where to begin. This is a guide to finding and checking a solicitor in Redbridge, London, so that you can search for solicitors Ilford offers 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 by the SRA.
- The Law Society’s Find a Solicitor service searches its database of legal professionals 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 in England and Wales 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 Redbridge
Some legal problems end up in court, so it helps to know where the local court is. Barkingside Magistrates’ Court is at Cranbrook Road, Ilford IG6 1HW. It handles crime.
However, the right court depends on your case, and this page names no other court. Find a Court or Tribunal 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 Redbridge
Cost matters when you choose help, so look at free options first. Citizens Advice lists Citizens Advice Redbridge at Ilford IG1 1EA. It has no offices open for public drop-ins, but it gives advice by phone or email.
Redbridge Council also has pages worth reading on its official website. It has a page titled “Benefits and financial support”, a page titled “Housing” and a page titled “Homeless or at risk”. Check each one for local support that suits your situation.
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
Solicitors handle many different kinds of task. Therefore, each practice area has its own guide below.
- Family law covers matters such as divorce and arrangements for children.
- Conveyancing covers buying or selling a home.
- 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.
If you are unsure which kind of lawyer you need, our guide to whether you need a solicitor or a barrister explains the difference.
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 of information about the law 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 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 what the price covers and leaves out. Ask whether the price 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.