Solicitors in Westminster, London
Finding a solicitor in Westminster
If you need legal help, this is a guide to finding and checking a solicitor in Westminster, London. Because several official routes exist, it helps to know what each one does before you start.
- The SRA Solicitors Register lets you look up solicitors and law firms the SRA regulates, since it shows whether someone is a solicitor and where they work.
- The Law Society Find a Solicitor service searches by organisation or person, name or SRA ID, location, area of practice and legal issue.
- The legal aid adviser search finds advisers in England and Wales by postcode, and they ask about your problem and finances to work out if you can get legal aid.
These routes work whatever borough you choose. As a result, you can use them for any search for solicitors Westminster residents might need.
Courts and tribunals for Westminster
Westminster Magistrates’ Court, at 181 Marylebone Road London NW1 5BR, handles crime and the single justice procedure. Central London County Court is at County Court at Central London, Thomas More Building Royal Courts of Justice Strand London WC2A 2LL. However, it handles housing and money claims, and the type of matter decides which court applies to your case.
However, the Find a Court or Tribunal service on GOV.UK shows which court handles a case. It also gives each court’s address, opening times and contact details, so check there before you travel.
Free and low-cost legal help in Westminster
Although a solicitor is not always the first step, free help exists. Citizens Advice lists Westminster CAB at The Stowe Centre 258 Harrow Road London W2 5ES. The official website of Westminster City Council also has a page titled “Benefits”. It is worth a look if money is part of your problem.
For national routes, GOV.UK has a “Check if you can get legal aid” service that asks about your legal problem, income and savings. Therefore, it tells you whether to speak to someone for phone advice. It also says how to find a legal adviser or mediator near you. Since a legal adviser applies for legal aid for you, 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. Law Centres help people in poverty overcome legal problems, according to the Law Centres Network. However, the network lists all Law Centres across the UK on one page.
Common reasons to look for a solicitor
Each practice area has its own guide, so these are short pointers only. Family law covers tasks such as separation and arrangements for children. For example, conveyancing is the legal work in buying or selling a home. While wills and probate covers making a will and dealing with an estate, employment law covers problems at work, such as a dispute with an employer.
Immigration covers applications to live, work or study in the UK. For example, criminal defence covers being accused of or investigated for an offence. However, dispute resolution covers disagreements, such as a contract or money dispute, that may need settling. Finally, personal injury covers claims after an accident that left you hurt.
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. Therefore, regulation means someone checks standards and can act when a solicitor falls short or acts dishonestly. Use the check-a-solicitor page before you instruct anyone, and read how to complain about a solicitor if something goes wrong.