1. Contracting provider
The contracting provider is Ezrick Evon Saunders, a sole trader trading as The Legal Desk, of Office 1, 14-16 Swan Street, Manchester, M4 5JN, United Kingdom.
The Legal Desk is not a separate limited company, a firm of solicitors or a set of chambers. It is not authorised or regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (“SRA”) or the Bar Standards Board (“BSB”).
2. Bar status and capacity
Ezrick Evon Saunders has been called to the Bar but is not a practising barrister and does not hold a current practising certificate. When providing legal services through The Legal Desk, he is not acting as a barrister and must not be understood or relied upon as doing so.
He is not subject to those parts of the BSB Code of Conduct and BSB Handbook which apply only to BSB-authorised persons. References to legal education or training describe background and experience; they do not convert The Legal Desk into a regulated chambers or law firm.
The BSB’s guidance for unregistered barristers, including Rule C144, can be read in the Bar Standards Board guidance.
3. Services that may be supplied
The Legal Desk may supply agreed legal services that are not reserved legal activities, including legal assessment, research, document review, drafting where permissible, evidence organisation and general case preparation.
It may also supply narrowly defined court support where a legal route permits it. This may include reasonable assistance as a McKenzie Friend and lay representation at an eligible small-claims hearing where the client attends and the statutory conditions are satisfied. Those roles are explained on the Court Support page.
The six categories of reserved legal activity include exercising a right of audience, conducting litigation, reserved instrument activities, probate activities, notarial activities and administering oaths. The Legal Desk has no general authorisation to undertake them. The statutory framework is in section 12 of the Legal Services Act 2007.
4. Court and litigation limitations
A McKenzie Friend may provide moral support, take notes, help with papers and quietly advise a litigant in person. That role carries no automatic right to address the court, question witnesses, act as the litigant’s agent or conduct litigation.
A qualifying small-claims lay representative may address the court only within the Lay Representatives (Rights of Audience) Order 1999: the client must attend, and the right does not apply after judgment or on an appeal from the district judge’s decision. It does not authorise the conduct of litigation.
A relationship with a solicitor does not by itself authorise The Legal Desk to conduct litigation or appear as an advocate. Where an authorised firm accepts a matter, that firm must establish and control its own client retainer, regulatory duties and supervision. Any work by Ezrick within that arrangement is defined by the firm and the applicable law.
5. Professional indemnity insurance
The services supplied directly by The Legal Desk are not currently covered by professional indemnity insurance.
This means there may be no insurer available to meet a claim if you allege that the service caused loss. You should consider this carefully, particularly before buying court-support work, dealing with a high-value matter or relying on work with significant consequences.
If a service is provided under a separate retainer with an authorised solicitor’s firm, ask that firm to confirm in writing whether its insurance covers the work and the people carrying it out. Do not assume coverage merely because a solicitor is involved.
6. Complaints and external redress
You may complain directly to The Legal Desk using the published Complaints Procedure.
There is no fixed contractual time limit for making an initial internal complaint, although you should raise it as soon as reasonably possible so that it can be investigated effectively.
You will not have a right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman about services supplied directly by this unregulated provider. The BSB may consider a report only in relation to the Core Duties and rules that continue to apply to an unregistered barrister; it does not act as a general service ombudsman, determine an ordinary fee dispute or award compensation for poor service.
If you separately instruct an authorised solicitor, barrister or other regulated provider, their own complaints and external-redress arrangements apply to their work.
7. Legal professional privilege
You should not assume that communications, advice or documents exchanged with The Legal Desk are protected by legal advice privilege. There is a substantial risk that privilege will not apply to communications with an unregulated provider.
Litigation privilege is fact-specific and cannot be promised. If maintaining privilege is important, obtain advice from an authorised solicitor or practising barrister before sending sensitive material.
8. Client money and documents
The Legal Desk does not operate a regulated client account and will not hold settlement money, damages, court funds or money on account for third-party costs. Payment processors may receive payment of The Legal Desk’s own invoice.
Document handling and retention are described in the Privacy Notice. Uploaded source documents are ordinarily deleted 90 days after final delivery, while the essential contract and service record is ordinarily retained for six years.
9. Regulated professionals and introductions
If the matter needs an authorised solicitor, a practising or Public Access barrister, or another regulated specialist, The Legal Desk may identify the appropriate category of professional or make an introduction. The professional decides independently whether to accept the matter. You contract with and pay them separately.
An introduction is not a guarantee of expertise, availability, outcome or price. You should check the professional’s regulatory register, scope, insurance and terms. The Legal Desk does not accept a case-by-case referral fee for the introduction.
10. Your confirmation
Before paid work begins, you will be asked to confirm that you understand:
- the identity and unregulated status of the provider;
- that Ezrick Evon Saunders is not acting as a barrister;
- that the parts of the BSB Handbook applying only to BSB-authorised persons do not apply to him;
- that the BSB can consider only reports concerning the Core Duties and rules that apply to him;
- the agreed service scope and the reserved activities not undertaken;
- that the direct service is uninsured;
- that the Legal Ombudsman is unavailable for the direct service;
- the substantial risk that legal advice privilege will not apply; and
- that an authorised professional may be required.
Your electronic confirmation is recorded with the accepted Order Summary. It does not remove your statutory rights or excuse us from supplying the agreed service with reasonable care and skill.