Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom
Key definition
Fee definition

What does Fee mean? In property law, fee describes an inheritable estate in land and, in Scots law, the full ownership of heritable property held by the fiar (the person entitled to the capital), often subject to a liferent. It is a common‑law, feudal‑rooted term used across conveyancing and succession rather than a standalone statutory definition, though it appears in expressions defined or recognised by legislation and case law. England & Wales and Northern Ireland: fee is usually encountered in “fee simple (absolute in possession)”, the ordinary freehold estate, capable of sale, mortgage and passing to heirs. The term appears throughout land law and...

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Unbundled legal services: fee-earner checklist covering suitability screening, insurance and supervisor approvals, inception, client care, limited-scope advice, advocacy steps, and ceasing to act

Precedents
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Work through this checklist to confirm you have taken all essential steps to protect the firm and to act in the client’s best interests when delivering unbundled legal services...

A: Client details

  • Client name [ Insert client name ]
  • Client number [ Insert ]
  • Matter number [ Insert ]
  • fee earner [ Insert ]
  • Supervisor [ Insert supervisor. Note: this checklist includes a requirement for supervisor approval ]

B: Screening questions

Requirement Yes/No

Have you discussed with the client:

  • the nature of their matter
  • how complex the matter is
  • the outcomes they seek from instructing you on an unbundled basis
  • any alternative funding sources?

☐ Yes ☐ No

[ Indicate whether you have carried out this step, addressing all the above points. If not applicable, explain why. Add any further notes or comments as needed, but there is no need to repeat information from your attendance note. ]

Taking the above into account, are you satisfied that it is appropriate to provide unbundled services? ☐ Yes ☐ No

Do you have sufficient experience to deliver the services the client requires? ☐ Yes ☐ No—consider whether to refer this matter to a colleague?...

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Web page updated on 22/05/2026

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