When dealing with solicitors about any matter you instruct them to deal with, it is critical at every stage to have a good idea what you are asking them to do. Every time you ring a solicitor about your case, be it family law, criminal whatever, they start the clock ticking from the second they pick your call up. Everything is costed in 6 minute units. So a 12 minute call will be costed at a minimum of 2 units – it’s best not to enquire what the unit cost is ! I do know a lasdy who used to think her solicitor was a really good friend and used to jibber jabber on about all sorts of unconnected matter whenever she rang her. It case as a massively disappointing shock when her bill came some months later – it was huge and of course, all these wee tete-a -tetes were costed in. The next house conveyance was handled by another firm completely! But solicitor have admin staff and cleaners etc. to pay – these costs come out of client charges.