About Talk Legal
Talk Legal Limited provides focused assistance in five defined areas.
- —suitable County Court small claims;
- —residential leasehold and Property Tribunal disputes;
- —workplace problems and Employment Tribunal claims for employers;
- —company and commercial legal work for businesses; and
- —independent second opinions on litigation that is already under way elsewhere.
It is one business with five specialist public services. Small Claims Champions and Leasehold Property Champions are trading names of Talk Legal Limited. Employers Champion is the employer-facing employment service of Talk Legal, and Company and Commercial is its business-facing commercial service.
Litigation Second Opinions is the fifth: a review service, not a conduct service. It exists for people whose case is already being handled by a solicitor, counsel or themselves, and who want an experienced, independent view of the strategy, the evidence and the likely outcome before committing more money to it. It follows the same principle as everything else here — a free initial review first, a fixed price for the written opinion, and no fee unless you agree the terms in writing.
Whatever the service, the approach is the same: we talk to you first, give a careful assessment without charge, and tell you honestly whether we believe the matter is worth pursuing.
Who is behind Talk Legal
Talk Legal was founded by Bryan Slater, who practised as a solicitor from 1980 until 2011, and who has more than 40 years' overall legal and commercial experience.
Bryan was born in Glasgow — no mean city — and has been a champion of the underdog throughout his practising years. He has taken many cases for clients who could not afford to pay the bills, but who he felt deserved compensation and justice, and he would often take the work on without charge. It is part of his nature: to see David beat Goliath, and to win cases for people who are in real trouble.
That part of his nature is the reason for the key USP of Talk Legal: good, clear and often detailed legal advice given completely without charge, so that a potential client can get to know him and his team before putting a hand in a pocket and paying a price.
His present professional status, stated plainly: he is not a current or SRA-authorised solicitor, and his former practice gives him no present authorisation. Nothing on this website should be read as describing him as a current solicitor.
Bryan was removed from the roll of solicitors for practice rule breaches in 2011. Since then, right up to the present, he has continued to work for several major companies in and around Manchester and in London, on difficult and intricate matters, and he is repeatedly referred work throughout England and Wales.
His work includes civil litigation, contractual and commercial disputes, property matters, employment disputes, negotiation, and advocacy.
That experience is used to do three things particularly well: reduce a complicated history to the issues that matter, identify the evidence needed to prove or defend a case, and present the position clearly in correspondence, documents and hearings.
Bryan does not work alone. The work is delivered with trusted colleagues — solicitors and other experienced legal practitioners — with whom he has worked for many years and whom he instructs regularly, with the client's agreement, whenever a matter needs expertise, capacity or regulatory authorisation beyond his own.
Work accepted by Talk Legal is provided by Talk Legal Limited on the basis explained in its written terms. Where a matter requires additional specialist expertise, it may be handled by one of that network of experienced colleagues, with the client's agreement.
Where a matter needs a specialist from our network, we’ll tell you who will handle it, who is responsible for the work and what protections apply.
Why the services are kept separate
A flat owner disputing service charges is not looking for the same information as a small business defending an Employment Tribunal claim. A person with a £6,000 building dispute does not need to work through pages about lease variation or sickness absence.
The website therefore gives each service its own clear route. The business, administration, standards and responsibility remain with Talk Legal Limited.
Our approach
We tell clients what we genuinely think
We don’t accept every matter. A case may be declined because it is outside our service, too complex for a proportionate arrangement, lacks sufficient evidence, presents a conflict of interest, has an unmanageable deadline or is unlikely to justify the cost and risk.
We define the job
The written agreement will identify what Talk Legal has agreed to do and what remains the client's responsibility. That distinction is particularly important where the client must comply personally with court or Tribunal orders.
We don’t promise results
No representative can honestly guarantee the outcome of a dispute. The result may depend on documents, witnesses, legal issues, the opponent's case and the decision of a judge or Tribunal.
We keep cost in proportion
Where possible, work is offered for a fixed price, or by stages. Where the scope cannot sensibly be fixed at the outset, the charging basis and an estimate, budget or cap will be discussed before paid work begins.
No fee is chargeable unless you agree in writing by email first. Nothing becomes payable until you yourself confirm, in an email to us, that we may charge a fee. You will always have approved the fee before any charge can arise, so there’s no risk of incurring fees you have not agreed to.
What Talk Legal is not
Talk Legal Limited is not a firm of solicitors and is not regulated. Talk Legal does not hold client money.
We operate an internal complaints procedure and provide clear client information before a paid instruction is accepted.
How to reach us
Email: win@talklegal.net
Telephone: 0161 111 111 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
Talk Legal Limited
140 Cheetham Hill Road
Manchester
M8 8PZ
Email is the best way to send us documents and to keep a record of what has been said. Write to win@talklegal.net and tell us what has happened in your own words.
What to do next
Choose the service that best matches your problem. If you are unsure, use the general contact form and describe the matter in a few sentences. We’ll route the enquiry, but we don’t act unless and until the instruction is accepted in writing.
Ready to talk to us?
Choose the service that matches your problem, or send a general enquiry and we’ll route it.
Or email us at win@talklegal.net