Costs budgeting
Is costs budgeting and costs management going to come to the rescue of costs lawyers and law costs draftsmen once Jackson in implemented? My article on this topic can be read on the Solicitors Journal website.
After-the-event (ATE) premium
A further definition from The (Alternative) Legal Costs Dictionary: After-the-event (ATE) premium n. a sum of money paid or payable for insurance against the risk of incurring a costs liability in proceedings. The premium is rarely paid at the outset and usually not paid at all if the claim is unsuccessful. The amount of the
After-the-event (ATE) premium Read More »
Relief from sanctions
Lord Justice Jackson has decided that the recovery of success fees from defendants is wrong. The senior judiciary has agreed (see for example paragraph 39 of Sousa v London Borough of Waltham Forest [2011] EWCA Civ 194). The European Court of Human Rights has agreed (see MGN Limited v United Kingdom (Application No. 39401/04)). The
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Happy Easter
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April year end?
No doubt some deals still to be done with those firms whose financial year end is the end of April: billing chaos. Perhaps firms should publish their year end dates and then everyone’s a winner 😉
Costs Practice Direction – VAT amendments
Amendments have been made to Costs Practice Direction, which came into force on 6 April 2011, which are made to clarify how VAT should be treated in relation to payments to a third party that are shown as disbursements by the legal representatives in bills of costs: “Disbursements not classified as such for VAT purposes
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Paying "some" legal costs
I mentioned the other day the poll of members of the public commissioned by Irwin Mitchell as part of their anti-Jackson lobbying. One of the “results” from this poll was: • Almost half (47%) say that they would be less likely to bring a claim for compensation if they thought they may have to pay
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A wet lettuce leaf
Dominic Regan, writing in the New Law Journal, on claimant lobbying over Jackson implementation : “All the lobbying and meetings behind closed doors has had as much impact as a blow from a wet lettuce leaf upon Mike Tyson.” Where did it all go wrong for the claimant lobby? One problem is that much of
A wet lettuce leaf Read More »
New 2011 Guideline Hourly Rates coming (sometime)
At the Association of Costs Lawyers national conference Master Hurst explained that although an increase in the Guideline Hourly Rates had been planned, this was due to be linked to the average earnings index but unfortunately that index no longer exists and an alternative index was being sought. It has now been announced: “The Master
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Jackson good news
Dominic Regan writing on Jackson implementation in the New Law Journal: “The good news is that the government is not looking to increase the small claims limit of £1,000 in personal injury claims. That is the end of the good news.”