Quest advocates have substantial advocacy experience in County Court hearing centres across England and Wales. Our experience ensures we deliver a professional and effective service.
Small Claims Track Hearings
Small Claims Track Hearings including OIC Portal matters are undertaken by our more experienced advocates from our County Court and Qualified Advocate teams. This reflects the relative complexity of such hearings and the need for a wide range of skills in order successfully to conduct them.
The cases which our advocates undertake involve road traffic accidents and the losses arising from them, including claims for credit hire (see below).
The advocates are skilled at establishing a rapport with lay clients and communicating effectively with them. This facilitates the lay client being less intimidated by the prospect of giving evidence and ensures that they are able to do so effectively.
The bespoke training which our advocates receive means that they are adept at case analysis, fact management, witness handling and submissions. The lay client’s case is persuasively presented to maximise the prospects of success.
All advocates are well-versed in the unique costs provisions applicable to Small Claims Track Hearings.
Infant Approval Hearings
Our County Court Advocate Team undertake infant settlement approval hearings as a routine part of their day-to-day practice. Whilst such hearings comprise a significant proportion of their work, our advocates never lose sight of the fact that each case is unique, presents its own challenges and is of great importance to both their professional and lay clients.
The training which all advocates receive ensures that they are fully-versed in all aspects of the relevant procedures applicable in such hearings, including the practice and investment mechanisms in operation at the Court Funds Office.
Our advocates are also experienced in costs arguments and are confident in making submissions to optimise our instructing solicitor’s costs. The lay client is accordingly provided with a knowledgeable and personable service which helps them navigate through the process.
Interim Hearings
Both our County Court Team and Qualified Advocate Team receive instructions in a wide range of interlocutory hearings in both Fast Track and Multi Track cases, most commonly:
Applications to Come Off Record
Pre-Action Disclosure Applications
Applications to Set Aside Default Judgment
Fast Track Case Management Conferences
Our Qualified Advocate Team have extensive file handling experience and apply previous knowledge gained in drafting applications to their advocacy on each occasion. Such cases are allocated to advocates of appropriate experience depending upon their complexity.
All advocates who undertake interlocutory applications are thoroughly familiar with the relevant parts of the Civil Procedure Rules and are comfortable in dealing with the costs issues to which such applications often give rise.
Contested MOJ Stage 3 Hearings
Our Qualified Advocate team made up of Solicitors, Barristers and Fellows of CILEx with Practice Rights attend Contested MOJ Stage 3 Hearings for both Claimant and Defendant clients.
Our advocates receive comprehensive training Including:
– an in depth understanding of the RTA/EL and PL Protocols, as well as CPR PD8, Part 45, Part 36
– advocacy tailored to the MOJ hearings style and format
– practical training on sample cases
– costs and interest exercises
– identifying current trends, recent case law and common pitfalls
Our Qualified Advocate Team are experienced in litigation and apply their knowledge to make strong and persuasive submissions in order to achieve the best results for our professional and lay client on every occasion.
Our management information systems enable us to review results, both on a case by case basis and collectively, to identify market trends, judicial attitudes and advocate performance.
Credit Hire
Quest Legal Advocates have designed a bespoke credit hire training programme. Our most successful and experienced advocates from the County Court Advocate and Qualified Advocate Teams undertake this training.
Quest Legal Advocates are instructed by a wide range of both Claimant and Defendant clients. This enables our advocates to benefit from collective experience and a broad view of prevailing attitudes and new arguments in this dynamic area of litigation.