PICKWICK SOLICITOR S KEEP DRIVING PLAN

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1 KEY FACTS PICKWICK SOLICITOR S KEEP Call

2 WHY CHOOSE THE KEEP Pickwick Solicitor s Keep Driving Plan is designed to advise you as to the law your rights the weight of evidence against you and the procedure We offer independent advice with no obligation whatsoever to instruct us. You can call us as often as you like. Many people believe that it would never happen to them. Approximately 6 million motorists are prosecuted each year in England and Wales. Thousands of drivers already have points on their licence. It s very easy to accumulate points and before you know it you are facing a ban. Yes, it could happen to you and it happens to people like you all the time THE KEEP AND PICKWICK SOLICITORS For a very small amount of money you have the assurance that you are a telephone call away from expert legal advice. This Plan offers telephone advice. We will advise you if your case would benefit from instructing a solicitor or barrister. You are not obliged to instruct us. If you do want us to represent you but we are not able we can put you in touch with other solicitors on our panel. We will not take a referral fee for this introduction. WHY NOT CALL OTHER FIRMS WHO OFFER FREE LEGAL ADVICE Many firms offer free initial advice however they will only provide you with general advice and will charge you for specific advice about your case or try to persuade you to pay for representation. You could end up paying vast sums of money for a solicitor or barrister when all you really need is to speak to us. For the majority of driving offences we believe that legal representation is not necessary but it is daunting having to attend court by yourself not knowing what the procedure is and what the likely outcome is going to be. That s what makes us different. This Plan could save you a lot of money in the long run. IMPARTIAL TELEPHONE ADVICE There is no doubt that being summoned for a traffic offence is stressful. We will take you through each stage of the process step by step. Pickwick Solicitors Keep Driving Plan is designed to give you peace of mind and we are here to help you at any stage of the process. All you have to do is pick up the telephone. You will have the support and the expertise of a solicitor at the end of the telephone. We have the knowledge and the experience. CONFIDENTIALITY We have a duty of confidentiality to you, the client. Therefore, the fact of your telephone call will not be shared with any third party including your insurer.

3 suggest mitigation you could put forward in relation the offence itself and your personal circumstances. WHAT IF YOU ARE CHARGED WITH A SERIOUS OFFENCE ABOUT PICKWICK SOLICITORS We specialise in driving offences and motoring law and we have vast experience in advising clients and also representing them at court. Between us we have over 20 years experience. HOW WE WILL HELP If you are faced with a prosecution and the daunting prospect of completing a Summons, a s172 Notice of Intention to Prosecute or attending the Magistrates Court for a hearing we can put your mind at ease. We can assist you with completing the forms and advise you fully if your case is listed for a hearing. OUR ADVICE IS SPECIFIC TO YOUR CASE. IT IS NOT GENERAL ADVICE. If necessary we would ask you to or fax us the prosecution papers you have been sent. We will then read through them and call you back with a full advice specific to you and your case. We will advise you as to the strength and weaknesses of the prosecution evidence. What your chances are if you were to plead not guilty, and if guilty what your likely sentence would be. If pleading guilty we will go through the sentencing guidelines with you and If you are charged with an offence which carries a custodial sentence we will advise you as to your options. It is crucial that you seek advice from us. Getting it right at the beginning is very important. With Keep Driving Plan you have the comfort of knowing that any driving offence you face can be dealt with swiftly and efficiently and with minimum impact on you. We will let you know if you are entitled to Legal Aid and what to expect at the courts. SPECIAL REASONS/ EXCEPTIONAL HARDSHIP A Special Reasons argument or Exceptional Hardship argument can be put forward as a means of avoiding an endorsement or even a mandatory disqualification. We can advise you on the relevant case law and as to whether either would be applicable to your case. Many of our clients are under the assumption that the prospect of losing their employment when banned from driving amounts to a Special Reason. Unfortunately, it does not. Special Reasons Arguments must relate to the offences alleged and not your personal circumstances. Exceptional Hardship arguments are more common and these could include for example, if you would lose your employment if you received a driving ban. But you must be convincing and you must prove it

4 KEY FACTS Pickwick Solicitors Keep Driving Plan provides legal advice to all policy holders. See below for an outline of our Driving Plan. We seek to fully advise you in relation to your case Provide written advice if required. By purchasing this pack you can avoid costly legal fees in the future. You are under no obligation to instruct us to represent you at a police station interview or at a court hearing. We will tell you if your case is complex and if you need a solicitor/barrister to represent you We will tell you if you may be eligible for Legal Aid. Features The telephone advice line is specific to your case and your circumstances We are open 5 days a week 9.00 to 7.30 Sat-10am to 2pm You can request a call back at a convenient time for you The Plan does not restrict the client by the number of telephone calls he/she can make You are under no obligation to instruct us to represent you at a hearing or police station You can call us even if you suspect you have committed a driving offence but have not yet been summoned or charged We advise on all driving offences In order to benefit from the Plan you must have purchased insurance from an Insurance Broker As solicitors we have a duty to advise you if you would be entitled to Legal Aid Exclusions We do not have jurisdiction to advise clients in relation to Scottish or Northern Irish Law The Plan does not include our physical attendance at police stations or court hearings None None We do not advise on offences committed by HGV drivers Only available to insured clients Some offences are not eligible for Legal Aid. This is determined by the Legal Aid Agency.

5 not we would ask that you direct your complaint to Chris Pickwick or Hazel Hannan. If they cannot resolve your issue please then contact the Legal Ombudsman. We can provide you with those details. HOW DO I PURCHASE PICKWICK SOLICITOR S KEEP You can purchase this plan through our insurance associates. Once you have purchased the Plan, your insurance company or broker will provide us with your details and when you call us we will ask you some basic information to identify you. Have your insurance details nearby. CANCELLATION RIGHTS We hope you are happy with the cover the Keep Driving Plan provides. You can cancel your cover with us at any time. PICKWICK SOLICITORS We are a law firm regulated by the Law Society of England and Wales. We are completely independent of any insurance company or broker and we do not share information with them. Client confidentiality is maintained throughout and after you have been advised by ourselves. We will retain your file for six year after which your file will be destroyed. COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE We hope you will always be more than satisfied with our advice and how we conduct your case. However, if you are