Terms and Conditions

  • 1.1. Nature of Service: Fact-Finding and Expert Advisory Only. The Consultant’s services are strictly limited to impartial fact-finding, evidence analysis, procedural review, threat assessment, and expert advisory. Our services are based on the information provided to us at the time of engagement and the factual findings of our investigation.

    1.2. No Legal Advice or Guarantee. The Consultant is not a firm of solicitors and is not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Our services do not constitute legal, financial, accounting, or regulatory advice. We cannot advise you on the merits of a legal claim, the likely outcome of litigation, or the interpretation of specific legislation.

    1.3. Client Responsibility. You retain full and sole responsibility for all decisions or actions taken based on our findings, recommendations, or reports. We shall not be responsible for any management, HR, or disciplinary decisions made by the Client following receipt of our report.

    1.4. Private Prosecution Limitation. For services related to Private Prosecution Investigation Support, The Consultant will operate solely as the Investigative Arm to gather evidence to the Criminal Standard (PACE/CPIA). You must engage a separate, qualified Solicitor or Barrister ("Solicitor of Record") who will provide all legal advice, ensure Legal Professional Privilege (LPP), and manage the decision to prosecute.

  • 2.1. Confidentiality. The Consultant will treat all information obtained during the course of the engagement as strictly confidential and will not disclose it to third parties unless required by law or as necessary for the purpose of the investigation (e.g., disclosure to witnesses, legal counsel, or regulatory bodies).

    2.2. Data Security Protocol. You acknowledge that Phillips Starr maintains a high standard of data security for sensitive investigative materials. All communications regarding client instructions, privileged legal documents, and personal sensitive data (witness statements, medical data) will be conducted via Proton Mail (Encrypted Email) and stored on Proton Drive (End-to-End Encrypted Cloud Storage). The Client agrees to adhere to our security protocols for sharing data.

    2.3. GDPR Compliance. We warrant that all data handling, storage, and processing will comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and related data protection laws.

  • 3.1. Fee structure

    Fees will be charged according to the structure defined in the agreed Terms of Reference (TOR) or Master Service Agreement (MSA), utilising a combination of tiered hourly rates, specialist day rates, and fixed project fees, as follows:

    • Hourly rates — applied to fact-finding, interviewing, and report preparation.

    • Day rates — applied to complex or high-risk specialist services (e.g. Private Prosecution Support, Compliance Audits, Threat Management).

    • Fixed fees — applied to defined scope projects (e.g. Due Process Reviews, Trace Investigations).

    3.2. Expenses (disbursements)

    The Client shall reimburse the Consultant for all reasonable expenses incurred solely for the performance of the services, including (but not limited to) mileage at HMRC rates, travel, accommodation, and necessary third-party fees (e.g. database checks, specialist OSINT tools). All disbursements will be agreed in advance and invoiced separately on completion.

    3.3. Payment terms

    All instructions require a 50% deposit, payable upfront upon instruction, prior to any work commencing. Work will begin within 24 hours of cleared funds being confirmed. The remaining 50% balance is due upon delivery of the final report or completed work product.

    Where a fixed-fee instruction is agreed, the full amount is payable in two equal instalments as described above. Phillips Starr will confirm commencement of work in writing once the deposit payment has cleared.

    3.4. Late payment

    The Consultant reserves the right to charge statutory interest on overdue amounts at 8% above the Bank of England base rate, in accordance with the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. Services may be suspended if any balance remains outstanding beyond 14 calendar days of the due date. The final report will not be released until all outstanding fees and disbursements have been paid in full.

    3.5. VAT

    Phillips Starr Ltd is not currently VAT registered. No VAT is charged on any invoice unless otherwise stated. In the event that Phillips Starr becomes VAT registered during the course of an engagement, the Client will be notified and VAT will apply to any invoices raised from that point.

  • 4.1. Limitation of Liability. Our liability for any loss, damage, or expense arising from our services—whether based on negligence, breach of contract, or otherwise—shall be strictly limited to the greater of (i) the fees paid by the Client to the Consultant under the specific engagement agreement or (ii) the coverage amount of the Consultant's Professional Indemnity (PI) Insurance policy.

    4.2. Exclusion of Liability. The Consultant shall not be held liable for any indirect, special, or consequential loss or damage (including loss of profit, goodwill, or reputation) that may arise from the implementation (or non-implementation) of our recommendations or services, unless due to proven gross negligence or wilful misconduct on our part. This exclusion is a cornerstone of our engagement.

    4.3. Insurance. The Consultant confirms holding current Professional Indemnity (PI) Insurance ($\mathbf{1}$ million minimum cover) and Public Liability (PL) Insurance ($\mathbf{5}$ million minimum cover).

  • 5.1. Termination. Either party may terminate the engagement in writing with 14 days' notice. The Consultant may terminate immediately if the Client fails to make payment or commits a material breach of these T&Cs (including withholding necessary information).

    5.2. Ownership of Report. The final written report is the intellectual property of the Client upon full settlement of all outstanding invoices. However, the Consultant retains the right to use the underlying experience and anonymized data for training, marketing, and analytical purposes, provided no specific client, witness, or subject is identifiable.

  • 6.1. Governing Law. These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

    6.2. Entire Agreement. These T&Cs, together with the specific Terms of Reference (TOR) agreed upon for each engagement, constitute the entire agreement between the parties.

    Phillips Starr LtdCompany Type: Private Limited Company (LTD) SIC Codes: 70229 (Management consultancy) & 80300 (Investigation activities) Registered Address: 82a James Carter Road, Mildenhall, Bury St. Edmunds, England, IP28 7DE