Representing yourself in civil proceedings can be demanding. A litigant in person must understand the relevant legal issues, comply with court directions, prepare documents and evidence, communicate with the other party and attend hearings. A procedural mistake can affect the progress, cost or outcome of a claim.
AIO Legal Services provides Litigation in Person Support for clients who wish to conduct their own civil or commercial case but require structured legal and procedural assistance. The service is designed to help a client understand the issues, prepare effectively and make informed decisions while remaining responsible for conducting their own litigation.
The service may be relevant to disputes involving breach of contract, money claims, debt recovery, fraud-related civil claims, intellectual property, partnership disputes, insolvency-related matters and other commercial disputes in England and Wales.
AIO’s status and the meaning of Litigation in Person Support
AIO Legal Services is an unregulated law firm managed by a UK-qualified lawyer and Commissioner for Oaths (CILEX Litigator), who is authorised and regulated by CILEX Regulation in England and Wales.
AIO can assist clients through Litigation in Person Support or, where appropriate, refer the client to trusted solicitors to conduct the litigation. Litigation in Person Support does not mean that AIO becomes the solicitor on the court record or takes responsibility for conducting the proceedings on the client’s behalf.
Unless the written engagement expressly states otherwise, the client remains responsible for decisions about the claim or defence, signing and filing documents, complying with court orders, communicating with the court and attending hearings. The precise scope must be agreed in writing before work begins.
What does a Litigation in Person Support service involve?
The service is tailored to the stage and needs of the case. It may include an initial assessment of the facts and documents, identification of the principal legal and procedural issues, preparation of a chronology, explanation of court correspondence and assistance with organising evidence. It may also include reviewing draft statements of case, letters or witness statements, preparing a document schedule, helping the client understand a directions order, identifying deadlines and preparing questions for a hearing or conference. The work may be delivered through written advice, online meetings, telephone discussions or a combination of these methods.
Support during court proceedings
Early assistance can be valuable before a claim is issued. The first stage is usually to establish the parties, the legal basis of the dispute, the relevant dates, the evidence available, the remedy sought and any limitation concern.
AIO may assist with a pre-action strategy, including reviewing a proposed letter of claim or response, identifying the documents that should be exchanged and considering whether negotiation or mediation may be suitable. The Civil Procedure Rules expect parties to exchange sufficient information to understand each other’s positions, consider settlement and reduce the costs of resolving a dispute.
A pre-action review can also identify whether the proposed defendant is the correct legal entity, whether the amount claimed has been calculated properly and whether the claim is suitable for a court process. Issuing proceedings without first understanding these matters may create avoidable cost and procedural risk.
Once proceedings have started, the client may need assistance understanding the claim form, particulars of claim, defence, counterclaim, directions questionnaire, allocation notice or case-management order. The court’s directions should be treated as deadlines, not general guidance.
AIO may help the client prepare a procedural timetable, organise the evidence required for disclosure, understand the purpose of witness statements and identify issues that need further legal advice. Where the court orders mediation, a preliminary hearing or another procedural step, the service may help the client prepare questions and documents.
The client must still file documents in the correct form and by the deadline unless the written scope expressly provides for another arrangement that is legally permissible. The client should not assume that sending a draft to AIO amounts to filing it with the court.
Support with hearings and court preparation
A hearing requires preparation that is different from simply knowing the facts. The client should understand the order of events, the issues the judge is likely to address, the documents that may be relevant and the outcome the client is asking the court to achieve.
AIO may help a client prepare a hearing note, chronology, bundle index, list of issues and questions for witnesses, subject to the case and the agreed scope. AIO may also explain court terminology and the practical expectations of attending a civil hearing.
AIO does not guarantee that it can attend or speak at every hearing. An early referral may be more appropriate than attempting to manage a case with limited support at a late stage.
How AIO fees are calculated
AIO’s fees should be based on the work required rather than on an assumption that every case will follow the same path. Before work begins, AIO should confirm the scope, the charging basis, the estimated time or fixed-fee stage, VAT treatment if applicable, payment arrangements and any likely third-party expenses.
The initial case assessment is charged at £275 plus VAT. Litigation in Person Support is then offered on an hourly basis at £140 per hour. We also offer fixed-fee stages and/or a combination of both. A fee estimate will be provided before each stage begins. The estimate is not a guarantee of the final cost where the work expands because of the other party’s conduct, new evidence, additional hearings or a change in the scope of the matter.
A fixed fee may be appropriate for a defined piece of work, such as an initial case assessment, a document review, a chronology, a draft letter or preparation for a specific hearing. An hourly rate may be more suitable where the work is difficult to predict or depends on the other party, the court or the volume of documents.
Where a fixed fee is offered, the description of the work must be precise. It should state what is included, what is excluded, the number or length of documents covered, the number of meetings included, the period for which the fee remains valid and what happens if the scope changes.
Court fees and other disbursements
AIO’s professional fees are separate from court fees. A court fee may be payable when a claim, application, hearing or enforcement step is issued. The party responsible for paying the fee depends on the procedural step and the court’s requirements.
Can Litigation in Person Support fees be recovered?
A costs order is not automatic. Even where a party succeeds, the court may limit the amount recoverable and may take into account conduct, proportionality, settlement offers, compliance with directions and the applicable costs regime.
Civil Procedure Rule 46.5 applies where the court orders that a litigant in person’s costs are to be paid by another person. It provides that recoverable costs are generally limited to no more than two-thirds of the amount that would have been allowed if the party had been represented by a legal representative, subject to the rule and any applicable assessment.
The rule also recognises certain payments reasonably made by a litigant in person for legal services relating to the conduct of proceedings. Whether any particular AIO fee is recoverable will depend on the nature of the work, the court’s order, the applicable procedure and the assessment of costs. AIO cannot guarantee recovery of its fees.
A client should therefore make decisions based on the cost and risk of the case, not on an assumption that the other party will reimburse the expense. Any discussion about recoverability is general information and is not a promise that costs will be awarded.
When solicitor referral may be required
Some cases should not be managed through limited support. Examples include urgent injunctions, complex multi-party disputes, high-value claims, difficult jurisdictional issues, substantial expert evidence, insolvency proceedings, appeals, serious allegations of fraud or hearings requiring specialist advocacy.
A solicitor or barrister may also be required where the client cannot safely manage filing, service, disclosure, witness evidence or compliance with a court order. AIO can consider referring the matter to trusted solicitors to conduct the litigation, subject to availability, conflicts checks, suitability and the solicitor’s own terms.
The referral decision should be made as early as possible. Waiting until a hearing or deadline is imminent can reduce the options available and increase the cost of obtaining representation.
If you are considering representing yourself in a civil or commercial dispute in England and Wales, contact AIO with a short summary of the matter. Include the parties, key dates, the value or remedy sought, any court reference, the next deadline and the documents available.
Please do not send confidential or privileged material until AIO has confirmed the appropriate communication and engagement arrangements. The initial discussion does not create a professional relationship or extend any deadline imposed by the court.
Contact AIO Legal Services to discuss Litigation in Person Support, fees and the appropriate next step.
Important information
This article is provided for general information purposes only and reflects the legal position as understood at the time of publication. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for tailored advice about any specific matter, transaction or business decision. Publication does not create a lawyer–client, adviser–client or other professional relationship.
Reasonable care is taken to keep published information accurate and current, but laws, regulations, guidance and circumstances change. To the fullest extent permitted by law, AIO Legal Services accepts no liability for loss or damage arising from reliance on this article, the AIO website or any linked third-party website. Please contact AIO directly for assistance.