Wrong on Guideline Hourly Rates

In a previous post I wrote that I was going to admit to being wrong on three occasions.  Here is the second confession. 

Back in January, I predicted there would be no increase in the Guideline Hourly Rates.  That prediction turned out to be inaccurate and the rates were indeed increased in April.  However, as the Advisory Committee on Civil Costs observed, their decision to increase in line with the private wage index meant the 1.7% increase was “well below current RPI inflation and so will lead to a significant fall in the real pay of solicitors operating in this area”. 

They also made clear: “we  have  yet  to  complete  our  analyses  of  the  issues  raised  in  our  paper  The Derivation  of  New  Guideline  Hourly  Rates”.  So what is that review likely to conclude? 

The Senior Costs Judge, Master Hurst, commented at the Association of Law Costs Draftsmen’s National Conference that: “The chances of the advisory committee coming up with agreed hourly rates that would be universally accepted are absolutely zero”.    

1 thought on “Wrong on Guideline Hourly Rates”

  1. Pingback: The ALCD was right all along : GWS – Defendant law costs draftsmen, legal costs consultants, costs lawyers, legal costs negotiators, law costs draftsman

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