Solicitors in Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets
Finding a solicitor in Tower Hamlets
Choosing a solicitor is hard when you do not know where to start. This page is a guide to finding and checking a solicitor in Tower Hamlets, London, including if you searched for solicitors Whitechapel. Three official routes can help. However, none of them depends on the borough you choose.
- Look the firm up on the SRA Solicitors Register. The SRA’s “Choosing a solicitor” page tells consumers to check it, because it shows whether someone is a solicitor, where they work and whether the SRA regulates a firm.
- Try the Law Society Find a Solicitor service. It searches its database by name or SRA ID, location, area of practice and legal issue.
- Use the “Find a legal aid adviser or family mediator” service. You enter a postcode, and advisers ask about your problem and finances to work out whether you can get legal aid.
Courts and tribunals for Tower Hamlets
Thames Magistrates’ Court is at 58 Bow Road London E3 4DJ. The Find a court service lists it as handling crime and the single justice procedure.
East London Family Court is at 6th and 7th Floor, 11 Westferry Circus (Entrance in Columbus Courtyard) London E14 4HD. The Find a court service lists it as handling adoption, childcare arrangements if you separate from your partner, divorce hearings, domestic abuse, Female Genital Mutilation and forced marriage. East London Tribunal Hearing Centre is at 2nd Floor Import Building 2 Clove Crescent London E14 2BE. The Find a court service lists it as handling claims against employers and benefits.
However, a case does not always go to the court you expect. The Find a Court or Tribunal service on GOV.UK shows which court handles a case. Therefore, check it before you travel. If you are thinking of going without a solicitor, read our guide on whether you can represent yourself in court.
Free and low-cost legal help in Tower Hamlets
Towerhamlets (East End) Citizens Advice lists its office at 32 Greatorex Street London E1 5NP. The Law Centres Network lists Tower Hamlets Law Centre. Tower Hamlets Council also runs an official website with pages titled “Advice & benefits” and “Community legal advice”.
As a national route, GOV.UK “Check if you can get legal aid” asks about your legal problem, income and savings. It then 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, because 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. Read more in our guide to free legal advice in London.
Common reasons to look for a solicitor
Each practice area covers a different kind of task, so pick the one that fits.
- 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 a death.
- Employment law covers problems with an employer or a job.
- Immigration covers visas and the right to live or work in the UK.
- Criminal defence covers help when police question you or you face a charge.
- Dispute resolution covers disagreements you want to settle.
- Personal injury covers claims after you get hurt in an accident.
Checking that a solicitor is regulated
The SRA describes its register as the definitive impartial source of information about the law firms and people it regulates. 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. Therefore, the register is a firm starting point. For the full steps, use our check-a-solicitor page.