Alex
Collected on:
Too slow and too expensive
I contacted Demelza following a recommendation, but I wouldn't choose to work with her again. The matter was a time-sensitive pre-nup review, where the document had already been drafted by the other party. I needed impartial advice and timely responses, but it often felt like we were on different timelines. Despite raising the urgency from the start, communication was slow and things were often left to the last minute without reassurance on deadlines.
Simple matters that could have been dealt with by email were often turned into long letters, which added to the cost. There were also billing issues as the final invoice was amended twice, once for not being clear that I already paid an advance and that it will be deducted from the final bill and then with an additional charge after a “final” bill had already been issued and paid.
For comparison, my partner’s lawyer drafted the agreement, handled several amendments, and kept clear, timely communication. In the end, our legal costs were roughly the same, even though her lawyer carried out most of the work. A look at the billing guide helped explain the difference. Demelza charges a fixed rate for every incoming and outgoing email confirmation and detailed letter, whereas the other side provided direct and focused advice in fewer steps and charges related to the length of the email or time spent on the back and forth.
A representative from Prettys Solicitors LLP responded to this review on 15 April, 2025:
This review contains information that we believe is not a true reflection of the matter.
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