Questions to ask a solicitor

This page lists questions, not answers. The few facts on it come from GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk and the Law Societies’ own websites. We last checked them on 6 October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.

Choosing a solicitor is an important decision. Finding out your options doesn’t commit you to anything.

Different solicitors will answer these questions in different ways, and hearing those answers can help you choose. We give information, not legal advice, and we can’t tell you who to choose. That is your decision.

Before you start

• It’s okay to ask questions before you agree to anything.
• You can ask for an answer to be explained again, in plainer words.
• You can take time to think, and you can speak to more than one solicitor.

If someone else can see your phone or your email, read staying safe online before you get in touch.

Their experience

• How much of your work is with people who have been abused?
• Have you worked on claims like mine before?
• Who would work on my claim day to day? Would I speak to the same person each time?
• Have you and your team had training in working with people affected by trauma?
• Do you belong to any specialist panels or associations for this kind of work? What do they check?

How they would work with you

• How would you keep in touch with me, and how often?
• Can I choose how and when you contact me, so that it’s safe and private for me?
• Can I ask to work with a woman or a man?
• What do you need to know from me now, and what can wait?
• Can I bring someone with me when we meet?
• What happens if I need to pause, or decide to stop?

Your options and the time limits

• Which routes might be open to me?
• How do the time limits apply to me?
• What would reporting, or not reporting, to the police mean for a claim?
• What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of my claim?

Our guides explain the general rules: your options, time limits for civil claims, criminal injuries compensation and redress schemes.

Cost

• How could my claim be paid for?
• Would I have to pay anything at the start, or along the way?
• What would I have to pay if the claim doesn’t succeed?
• If I receive compensation, would anything be taken from it?
• Can I have the costs explained in writing?

Read more about paying for a civil claim and applying to CICA.

What would happen next

• What are the main steps, and how long might each one take?
• Would I need to see a medical expert? How would that be arranged?
• Could my claim end up in court? What would that involve for me?
• Who would see what I tell you?
• Would my name be kept private?

Read about the people you might meet if you make a claim, and what to expect if you are asked to see a medical expert.

If things aren’t going well

• Who do I speak to if I’m unhappy with how my claim is being handled?
• How does your complaints process work?

Finding a solicitor

Each of the UK’s three legal systems has its own search for solicitors:

• England and Wales: Find a Solicitor, from the Law Society.
• Scotland: Find a Solicitor, from the Law Society of Scotland.
• Northern Ireland: Find a Solicitor, from the Law Society of Northern Ireland.

We don’t list solicitors at the moment.

Our Legal Directory also lists solicitors who act for survivors of abuse. We check each firm by hand before it is listed. You contact a firm directly, and we are never paid for a case. The questions on this page still apply.

Where this information comes from

• legislation.gov.uk: Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, Schedule 1, Part 1, paragraph 3 (abuse of a child or vulnerable adult)
• GOV.UK: Legal aid
• GOV.UK: Claim compensation if you were the victim of a violent crime: start or continue a claim
• GOV.UK: Claim compensation if you were the victim of a violent crime: eligibility

Checked on 6 October 2026. Rules can change, so always check the official pages before you act.

Looking for answers, not questions? Go back to common questions.