Independent Legal Advice Solicitors

Some documents can only take effect once you have taken independent legal advice from a solicitor acting for you alone. We give that advice from our offices in Hull, Bridlington and Hornsea, so that you understand exactly what you are signing before you commit.

What is independent legal advice?

Independent legal advice (often shortened to ILA) is advice given to you by a solicitor who is independent of the other party to the document, and who is acting only for you. Its purpose is to make sure you understand what you are signing, what it means for you and the risks involved, and that you are signing freely rather than under pressure.

Once we have advised you, we sign a certificate confirming that independent advice was given. The other party, often a bank, an employer or another party's solicitor, will require that certificate before the document can proceed. We can act whether you are the person being asked to sign or the person asking someone else to take advice.

When you might need it

You may be asked to take independent legal advice in a range of situations, including:

• Settlement (compromise) agreements, where an employee gives up employment claims in return for agreed terms. See our guide to settlement agreements.
• Occupier's or spouse's consent to a mortgage, where an adult living in a property that is being mortgaged is asked to consent and postpone their rights to the lender.
• Deeds of postponement, where an existing interest is ranked behind a new lender.
• Personal and directors' guarantees, where you are asked to guarantee a business loan, a lease or a supplier account.
• Joint borrower, sole proprietor mortgages, where someone helps a borrower qualify without going on the title.
• Transfers of equity, where a name is added to or removed from a property.

If you are unsure whether your situation requires independent advice, please contact us and we will confirm the position.

How it works

You send us the document and any covering letter. We arrange an appointment, in person at one of our offices or by video where the other party accepts this, and we verify your identity as we are required to do. We then go through the document with you, explain it in plain English, answer your questions and make sure you are content before anything is signed.

Where everything is in order, we sign the required certificate at the end of the appointment.

Fees and timescales

We agree our fee for independent legal advice with you before we start. The fee depends on the type and length of the document. See our fees and pricing for details, or contact us for a quotation for your matter.

Many of these documents come with a deadline. Please tell us your timescale when you get in touch and we will arrange an appointment accordingly.

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