Legal Cost Specialists
The New Law Journal recently contained a useful reminder that an agreement for the payment of costs in a Tomlin Order must be contained within the main body of the order and not in the schedule. Of course, if you’ve read page 138 of Civil Costs – Law and Practice you’d already know this. Or, […]
Valid order for costs Read More »
Now that we have all had a chance to fully consider the Jackson Costs Review, the Legal Costs Blog has approached some of the “great and the good” in the costs world to ask them to share their views with us. First up is Kerry Underwood, senior partner with Underwoods Solicitors, Chairman of Law Abroad
Jackson Report – Kerry Underwood responds Read More »
Recently I questioned the accuracy of the oft-repeated claim that the compensation culture was a myth. The basis for this claim was the Better Regulation Task Force report on the “compensation culture” back in 2004 that reached this conclusion on the back of the fact that the number of claims was down. Recent research has
Personal injury claims rise Read More »
The Law Society Gazette reports that Halliwells, with its significant insurance division, is “hovering on the brink of administration”. As the recession increasingly bites, with both claimant and defendant firms going under, it can only be a question of time before some law costs drafting firms start to be hit by the knock-on effect. We
Halliwells on the brink of administration Read More »
The Law Society Gazette has reported that: "The Ministry of Justice [has] outlined proposals to shut nearly a third of the courts in England and Wales and confirmed it will be looking at ways to make ‘efficiency’ savings in the legal aid budget. A consultation document details plans for the closure of 157 of the
SCCO building to close Read More »
When flying back from holiday the other day I was glancing at the on-board bar prices. (Despite living a multi-millionaire playboy lifestyle, I am too mean to pay for a flight that has a free bar.) They were selling 5cl miniatures of Bombay Sapphire gin (standard 40% strength) for £4 a bottle. By my maths,
Make my hourly rate a double Read More »
Ropewalk Chambers has an excellent article on their website by Andrew Hogan on how the current approach to hourly rates has led to a lack of proportionality and transparency in legal costs. This article was first presented to the Association of Law Costs Draftsmen at this year’s annual conference and has also appeared in the
Hourly rates out of control? Read More »
I had hoped never to have to mention the dread subject of VAT again. But the inevitable has happened and the budget has raised VAT to 20% from 4 January 2011. At the risk of repeating myself, this will mean that from 4 January 2011 bills of costs should usually be drafted with up to
VAT and bills of costs – yet again Read More »
The Legal Costs Blog has been a bit quite over the last few days. This is because I’ve been on holiday in sunny Turkey. Indeed, I’m writing this post lying on a sun-lounger by the pool with the laptop precariously balanced on my stomach and with a drink on the table beside me with an
Getting inside the mind of a costs judge Read More »
A further definition from The (Alternative) Legal Costs Dictionary: Jackson Report n. A review of civil litigation costs in the English legal system undertaken by Lord Justice Jackson. The final report had a similar effect to a penalty shoot-out against Germany. It reduced grown men to tears. May decimate large swathes of the legal costs