Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Is there any no win no fee solicitors in the TRNC??

I really don't know, but they would soon be bankrupt if they were relying on thousands of people still waiting for their Title Deeds before they got paid. I'm sure that's not what you had in mind though is it? Sorry, can't help but be cynical on the subject.

Might also be known as contingency lawyers or conditional fee agreement lawyers (if they exist here.....)

Note that there are no 'solicitors' in the TRNC. They are 'advocates' and are not legally qualified to UK standards. Also they do not regard themselves as owing a duty of care to their clients (and neither does their trade body think they do). They do not have liability insurance and it's doubtful you will find an advocate willing to take any legal action against another advocate.

Actually, had you asked ' Are there any 'no win, big fee' advocates in NC I could have answered a big Yes!

Please respect the original posters question.

Not everyone is aware of fhe legal system here in the TRNC. Yes it has its failings but better to post facts.

Thanks for your comments

Oh dear , smack hands for naughty me, must not have any fun on here it's banned .... ....

geroff, that short and pithy reply is one of the funniest I've read for a long, long time. Just perfect. Sorry if we don't appear to be taking the original poster seriously, but you can't blame us. For thousands of us, so called solicitors here are a sick joke. Best of luck.

Hector wrote:Note that there are no 'solicitors' in the TRNC. They are 'advocates' and are not legally qualified to UK standards. Also they do not regard themselves as owing a duty of care to their clients (and neither does their trade body think they do). They do not have liability insurance and it's doubtful you will find an advocate willing to take any legal action against another advocate.

We have found 2 lawyers in the Kyrenia area who both qualified in the UK and have liability insurance. So they are around.

And we found an excellent solicitor who won our breach of contract case and a suitable amount of compensation which was paid within 3 days.

Then our British neighbours who had benefitted from our case didn't even thank us.

Art wrote:And we found an excellent solicitor who won our breach of contract case and a suitable amount of compensation which was paid within 3 days.

Then our British neighbours who had benefitted from our case didn't even thank us.

This must be the third time (at least) that you've mentioned these ungrateful neighbours - it obviously rankles, or you've got a bee in your bonnet about them...

Why not 'name and shame' them - it will give us all something to talk about, and it will be really exciting waiting to see whether they sue you for defamation - if they can find an Avukat willing to do so, of course....

[quote]We have found 2 lawyers in the Kyrenia area who both qualified in the UK and have liability insurance. So they are around.



Please tell us who they are.

We still have not answered Crispyb's question! As far as I am concerned, and I have lived here 20 years, I have never heard of a "no win no fee" lawyer in the TRNC. If knew of one and he was prepared to take on a British accused I would have used him already! I dont think the "no win , no fee" concept has reached N. Cyprus yet and the legal system is based on the British system (albeit very looselyt) rather than the American.

However stranger things have happened and the country sadly is increasingly Americanised so it could happen yet. If it does let me know!

I would suggest in a "no win, no fee" situation the honesty and inventiveness of your opponent's lawyer may be the largest factor, and you may always be at a disadvantage if you do not speak Turkish! In any case if you find one have a written contract in both English and Turkish and get someone you trust t o check the translation.
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Keithcaley,

My comments were designed to inject a little bit of balance into the debate.Unfortunatly you rarely hear any good news about the legal system or success stories-I found the legal system to be fair but lengthily and in the end we were represented by a first class solicitor and we won our case.

As for our neighbours- yes I've mentioned this before and will continue to do so to illustrate that a minority of Brits are capable of bad behaviour and are happy to rip off other Brits....its just not the local developers.

I won't name them because I wish to abide by the rules of the forum- it's a great forum which I really enjoy.

Those who know me are aware of who they are though.

Art, I appreciate your comments, and your reasons.

You will be aware that my post was most definitely intended to be 'contentious' and to tease out a little more information...

Regards, Keith.

The legal system in the TRNC is the issue that prevents any such scheme, prevents any "solicitors" and" barristers" to operate.
The legal system is very primitive and loosely based on UK law which was the precedent in colonial days.
Take no comfort from legal eagles of any sort in the TRNC.

Any type of litigation or indeed legal advice should be taken with a pinch of salt. The infrastructure, Knowledge, education and protocol is just not there.

Avoid at all costs. Sort the issue out.
Play safe pay for nothing until work, services and or goods have been delivered to satisfaction.

I would avoid any type of legal advice, litigation or recommendation.

Have to disagree.

There is justice and some very good solicitors who do not rip you off.

Art wrote:Have to disagree.

There is justice and some very good solicitors who do not rip you off.

quote="Art"]Have to disagree.

There is justice and some very good solicitors who do not rip you off.[/quote]

Its not about ripping one off.
Its about the lack of statute law, protocol and legal representation. The lack of a functioning bar system. The lack of accountability and duty of care. The inability and refusal to entertain any conflict of interest.
The misleading of people into false assumption that the TRNC system is indeed British law.
Many advocates in the TRNC have been law educated in the UK. Some have indeed done British law degrees and then returned to the TRNC to practice in a system that is simply miles apart from the UK system . A UK system that is strictly governed has a functioning Law society and has a respected bar system. Of course the UK system has evolved over hundreds of years. The TRNC is in its infancy of developing a British exampled system. It remains some way away and to quote UK law in any TRNC legal matter is not proper.

The TRNC system has a long way to go to provide proper and fair legal representation particularly to foreigners. A clear definition of legal representation with clear accountability and transparency is needed. With so many advocates now seeking to exist in the TRNC there is a general lowering of standards with several not so good and less scrupulous participants. The conveyance of property is disgraceful. Advocates take instructions from estate agents and collusions are rife and not proper. Fees are extortionate given the very simple and basic system that frankly is a joke. A Notary is perfectly able to do the work for a fraction of the cost. The problem in this sector is the lack of due diligence and total absence of proper accountability when title becomes contested, mortgaged or are under duress.
The system needs a jolly good shake up. I for one have some confidence in some of the people but no confidence in the system that no one seems intent on changing.

A lot of what you say is probably right but having spent 4 years dealing with the legal process I found it to be effective and fair but far too long.I take on board your comment about "avoiding it at all costs" but this sometimes especially over here is impossible.How do you sort out a builder who is trying to blackmail you into paying extortionate money just to get the tiltle deeds which you should rightfully own?

Litigation should be the last resort which I'm sure in many cases is the only alternative.

Finally 80% of the court cases in the TRNC are actually settled before going to a full trial but of course you never get to hear about these.

I do agree that the state of legislation and the regulation and oversight is lamentable - bringing a rogue Avukat to book appears to be a task more suited to Sisyphus than to the average mortal

A lot of people say that their Avukat 'did a good job', and recommend them to others, but it often transpires that they only managed to complete a straightforward transaction where there were no difficulties to be overcome, and that other people have been badly let down by those very same Avukats as soon as any proactive action was required.

I can see both sides of this argument, having dealt with totally ineffective, not to say unscrupulous Avukats here, yet acknowledging that Art does seem to have found one who does a proper job.

I would be most interested to learn who this Paragon of the TRNC legal profession is, and I'm sure that a lot of others would be keen to know as well!...

I'm more than happy to my solicitors contact details through a PM .

I don't think it's appropriate to publish his/hers details on a public forum as I'm sure someone will find a reason to criticise him or her.

Just also to say that "I know a few people who have won their breach of contract case with other solicitors" but as I said before these are rarely published?

Surely, if there is a good honest advocate out there (with nothing to hide) then their details should be shouted from the rooftops. It may even encourage other advocates to follow their example if business goes the good advocates way. Sorry but not saying who the good ones are is self defeating.

I'm just trying to protect my excellent solicitor from the anti TRNC legal brigade.

PM me if you want his/her details but please respect my reasons for not disclosing his/ her name on this forum or any other forum.

I too have had a very positive experience with our advocate here in the trnc, completing a non straightforward property transaction. If anyone would like more details please pm me.

I will add that due to the convoluted and dated procedures still employed here it's natural that it takes longer to completely transactions when compared to the uk. As an example you could carry out a local search online in minutes in the uk, unfortunately here there are physical forms to be filled in a presented to district offices in person. A human will then have to retrieve paper files and provide a report. So it would be useful to reset your expectations from what you have become use to back home.