UK Enterprise Awards 2021

42 | UK Enterprise Awards 2021 May21089 Best Parking Charge Dispute Law Experts - England & Wales Contestor Legal Service is an unregulated law firm based in the United Kingdom with international connections from Europe through to Africa. Its geographical position helps its clients with legal needs in the United Kingdom, Europe and around the world. We find out more about Contestor in the wake of its success at the UK Enterprise Awards 2021. Founded in 2019, Contestor Legal Services is the leading law firm in contesting parking charges and penalty charges on a no win no fee basis. Jackson Yamba, CEO at Contestor Legal Services says, “We strive to be the leading, unregulated law firm by delivering quality and value to our clients. We achieve this through an innovative legal solution that helps our clients succeed at lower costs and no win no fees. We are proud of our firm and its history of service to clients; committed to our well-defined firm values of respect, teamwork, commitment, client service, and professional excellence that steer the firm to sustained quality and excellence while fostering a positive work environment.” Contestor Legal Services also specialises in Litigation, Employment law, Intellectual Property, Contract Law, Tort Law and CCJ removal. Contestor Legal Services, a trading name of Contestor Ltd, stems from its passion to help people. “We are proud to offer an alternative solution to the exorbitant costs of regulated legal firms. Our services are at low fixed fees and No Win No Fee basis with indemnity professional insurance to protect our clients states Jackson. Contestor Legal Services has seen extraordinary growth month to month as a result of its experience and passion to help motorists deal with unfair parking tickets. Jackson states, “Since the cuts to legal aid along with the high price of regulated law firms, an unprecedented number of litigants, including small businesses, have been faced with difficulties to deal with their legal affairs. In addition, those who decide to spend excessive amounts of money on a barrister or solicitor for small claims like parking tickets are unlikely to recover their costs under a strict application of CPR 27.14.” Jackson continues, “As an unregulated firm, we offer legal assistance and information to the best of our knowledge. We can assist as a McKenzie Friend, lay representative or mechanical agent. Alternatively, we may liaise with our regulated law firm partners for reserved matters where it is required on the same costs regime.” As we know, Contestor Legal Services is an unregulated law firm which is able to help numerous amounts of people, but what is the actual difference between what Contestor Legal Services does against a regulated firm? “A regulated law firm is licenced by an approved Regulator for the purpose of Legal Service Act 2007 such as the Solicitor Regulation Authority (SRA) or Cilex. For example, a regulated practice by the SRA must abide by a set of rules such as a registration fee to the SRA and being in possession of a minimum of 3 million of professional indemnity insurance.” Jackson continues, “As a general rule, there are six reserved legal activities that must be carried out by a regulated law firm only for the purpose of Legal Service Act 2007: the exercise of a right of audience, the conduct of litigation, reserved instrument activities, probate activities, notarial activities and the administration of oaths. However, as unregulated practice, Contestor Legal Services can assist as a Mckenzie Friend in every jurisdiction in England and Wales; exercise the right of audience as exempt person (Lay Representative) under schedule 3, para. 1(3) (b) of the Legal Service Act 2007 and carrying on reserved legal instruments as an exempt person under Schedule 3 para 3(7)(c) of Legal Service Act 2007 for small claims track; file and service legal document as Mechanical Agent. But what do the terms coined by Contestor Legal Services actually mean? Jackson explains: “The concept of McKenzie Friend was established by the Court of Appeal case, McKenzie v McKenzie 1970. A McKenzie Friend is someone who accompanies you during a court hearing and quietly gives you support, takes notes and helps you with paperwork. He can’t speak for you unless you ask the court before the hearing and the judge authorises him to address the court directly. A Lay Representative is any person other than a solicitor or barrister to exercise the right of audience under the small claim procedure. In order to exercise the right of audience under CPR 27.3(1) and the Lay Representative (Right of Audience) Order 1999, the Lay Representative must attend the hearing with his or her client.” Jackson continues, “The Legal Services Act 2007 defines the conduct of litigation as a reserved activity. The conduct of litigation includes but is not limited to the commencement, prosecution and defence of any proceedings and can only be conducted by a regulated practice. However, a Mechanical Agent can, through a delegated authority from the litigant, carry out some reserved activity. The ruling is derived from Ndole Assets Limited v Designer M&E Services UK Limited [2017] EWHC 1148. For reserved matters that we are unable to carry on because of the restrictions, we liaise with our regulated partners, Solicitors, Cilex and Barristers in England and Wales or even abroad on no win no fee basis. Contestor Legal Services has successfully represented civil litigants ever since the founders were law students in the UK. “Our team is formed of highly qualified and experienced lawyers with a minimum of Hons LLB degrees. They have