About Us

Hart Reade is a modern firm of solicitors with a track record of providing helpful and reliable advice to clients for over 100 years. Our lawyers are organised into departments ensuring specialisation and maximum efficiency. We utilise modern training and technology to deliver a high quality service at a cost which is affordable and proportionate to the matter in question.

We always provide estimates of fees and will do so without charge either by telephone or at a free diagnostic interview.

Our firm has achieved the Law Society Lexcel quality standard and Investors in People which shows our commitment to our clients and to our staff.

Cost Estimates

We intend that you should have as much information as possible about our charges and will therefore provide details of our Terms of Business as well as estimates of likely final cost.

Client Identification

Money laundering regulations require that we obtain evidence of identity, not only in the case of clients who are new to the firm, but also for existing clients.

We therefore ask you to produce to us your passport or photo driving licence and a recent (within the last three months) utility bill to provide evidence of your address. If you are unable to produce these, there are alternatives we can discuss with you. It is important that we see the originals and we will take copies and return them to you. It would also be helpful if you can bring these with you on your first appointment as it will help speed up the initial process.

Free Initial interview

Our Matrimonial and Family Department offers a free 30 minute appointment to discuss your case generally and to give you preliminary legal advice. Our Litigation Department offers a free diagnostic interview of up to 30 minutes to check if we can help you and to give you details of our charges should you wish to proceed. We also offer a free half hour meeting under the Lawyers for your Business scheme to discuss business issues.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

As Solicitors we carry adequate insurance so that you can feel entirely confident in placing your affairs in our hands. Note that the same is not true of many non- professionals!

Specialist Panels

We belong to specialist panels for Family Law and Lawyers For Your Business and are members of Resolution - first for family law.

Safe Storage

The firm provides a safe custody service to clients in respect of Wills, Deeds and other securities and no charge will be made to clients unless prior notice in writing is given of a charge to be made from a future specified date.

Quality Standards

We are pleased to have gained and retained accreditation to the Law Society Lexcel quality standard and to Investors in People for over six years.  We feel these two standards demonstrate our commitment to client care and to staff development, both of which are of prime importance for the success of our firm.

Lexcel is the Law Society's practice management standard and is only awarded to solicitors who meet the highest management and customer care standards.  Lexcel accredited practices undergo rigorous independent assessment every year to ensure they meet required standards of excellence in areas such as client care, case management and risk management.

Investors in People offers a business improvement tool to help all kinds of organisations develop performance through their people. It provides tailored assessments designed to support organisations in planning, implementing and evaluating effective strategies. Re-assessment is required every three years.

See further details of these two standards via the links at the bottom of the page.