If you are facing driving charges DO NOT work with this firm, they will waste your time and money as they have mine, and upon some digging, many others as well.
I originally contact NML, this is one of the brands under National Lawyer Services, as I had been stopped for drink driving. I have never been in trouble with the law.
I spent some initial time on the phone with NML, with one of their caseworkers who goes by the name Paul, he spent a good hour with me explaining how I had a very real case and grounds to defend my license (regarding breakdown in procedure from the police), this was in fact true, however, immediately after the first hearing, it started to become clear to me how this firm approaches these cases.
On my first hearing, I entered a not guilty plea as per their advice, this was a critical mistake on my part as I will take responsibility and say I should never have listened to this firm...
What followed was 7 more court appearances (including sentencing) at £1.2k+ each hearing, spread over the course of a year. The most shocking part of all of this is that on my final hearing, I was left completely in the dark to decide on my plea by myself just an hour before my final hearing.
This resulted in me getting the max penalty for my situation, 22months ban + £1k+ fine, I have not even heard from the firm to this day as they are now refusing and blocking me access to my file unless I pay outstanding fees which I didn't agree to pay and they didn't even do any work for at all!
NML will not deliver on their promises, drag out all your hearings by not completing work/instructions, and still make shameful attempts at collecting more and more fees.
After an unnecessarily long-drawn-out case and court proceedings stretching over 12 months, this is where I ended up:
7 x court appearances (Including Sentencing)
Been embarrassed in the courtroom
Not had my instructions followed properly
Broken promises and deceit
Left with no choice but to change my plea just hours before my final hearing, having received absolutely ZERO advice on the matter, or even appropriate communication.
I had a telephone conversation with Paul, four days prior to my final hearing on June 8th, whereby I specifically asked for Paul's word that he would contact me the previous day to my hearing to get the information/rundown I needed. This did not happen. He did not keep his word. I consider this to be unprofessional and negligent.
I was left in the dark to change my plea on my own, the same morning as my final hearing and attended my sentencing solo, without representation.
Paul and I had a phone call together on 03/06/2022. On this call Paul mentioned that they had instructed Dr. Ranu around a week or more before our call to complete his expert report on my case. Paul stressed this as the most important part of the case. Confirming to me that I had plenty within my medical records to use.
However, and quite disturbingly Paul confirmed to me that they did not have my medical records on file.
I immediately corrected him; I had already sent my medical records to NML from my GP months prior. Clearly, they had been lost or misplaced.
Paul then found the very email with the medical records that I had sent previously and corrected himself.
Yet, he had just told me that Dr. Ranu was carrying out my expert report. How could he have been if Paul didn’t have my medical records? Clearly an act of deceit and/or negligence.
The expert report that was eventually served was not favourable. In sharp contrast to the views expressed by Paul regarding my case. The entire process of getting an expert report drafted was extremely rushed and left to the very last minute due to the firms’ complete incompetence.
I was not sent the expert report until 11:11pm on June 7th (way out of office hours), the day before what was to be my final hearing.
All representation provided by NML that appeared throughout my hearings did not move the needle whatsoever and came completely unprepared (9/10 times only available by video link in court, you need to pay more fees and cover travel if you want the in-person representation).
Notably, one of the solicitors they sent to represent me was sold to me as a respected and well-known solicitor, his name was Stewart. He had to draft a full skeleton report the same morning of a trial hearing as absolutely no preparation had been given to him. This 'experienced' solicitor stumbled all his words when trying to make his point and argument to the judge, a complete lack of preparation, this was a turning point in my case where the judge picked a side and not ours given NMLs performance.
In summary, I'm around £7k+ deep, have a worse outcome than just going with guilty, and STRONGLY advise no one instructs NML or any of their services.
