price1367
TTC Group
I'd like to thank everyone for their input and update on the outcome of my case.
Against all advice I did get a specialist driving offence solicitor as I thought I might have a better chance at a lesser sentence.
In hindsight I really believe it was a huge waste of money and the firm really only told me what I had already been advised and researched on this forum. They simply took a statement from me and advised me to collect character references which I did. They then sent a lawyer to represent me in court who actually did a good job and was very helpful, the lawyer was really like a subcontracter and cost the firm a small fraction of what I paid to them.
He was not from the firm and wasn't even sure who had sent him to represent me so I really should've gone directly to him.
The people I dealt with in the firm were not great and often late with replies and on "leave" although they were quick prior to this asking for payment before they could represent me.
For anyone else in my position I would say that the advice given on this forum was the best and to seek your own lawyer rather than pay hefty commission to others for barely any input where they simply just send someone to represent you.
I was given a 40 months ban along with a requirement to attend courses and a long unpaid work of over 200 hours.
If anyone needs help or more information you are welcome to contact me.
A specialist drink driving solicitor has no advantage whatsoever if you are pleading guilty. Mitigation is mitigation and any competent solicitor can mitigate a case.
The statement they took from you was simply used to brief the solicitor they ‘sub contracted’ to. You could have done this directly.
Then they advised you to get your own character references.
So in reality they only acted as the middle man in this….. how much did they charge you and feel free to name the solicitors involved. that way we can check them against those who claim a 95-100% success rate in all their cases.