Legal Cost Specialists
Following on from the Legal Service Board’s recent report into referral fees, which concluded that there was no evidence that referral fees caused consumer detriment, is the Legal Services Consumer Panel’s report which called for greater disclosure of referral fees and better regulation, but found that the payments do have a place in the legal […]
Referral fee debate Read More »
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
Wrong on Guideline Hourly Rates Read More »
My post on Tuesday, concerning the change in VAT rates, confirmed two things. Firstly, how mind numbingly boring a topic it is. Secondly, how much difficulty this is causing law costs draftsmen, solicitors and others. The number of comments, both on the Legal Costs Blog and in emails I received, indicates that some readers are
I previously tried to give a simple summary of the impact of the recent VAT change in an earlier post. However, a regular reader of the Legal Costs Blog recently got in touch asking me to mention this issue again. As my patience is slowly disappearing over the number of defective bills of costs I
The Legal Service Board’s recent report into referral fees revealed some interesting statistics. It showed that the number of personal injury claims arising from RTAs has risen from the year 2000 to 2009 (see Figure 21 on page 96). This is despite the number RTA accidents involving personal injuries having decreased (see Figure 16 on
Compensation culture – Recount demanded Read More »
A regular reader of the Legal Costs Blog recently got in touch to ask whether the decision in National Westminster Bank v Kotonou [2009] EWHC 3309 (Ch) was a useful one when challenging the costs associated with the funding of a claim. Before turning to the case itself, it is useful to remind ourselves of
Recoverability of costs of funding Read More »
A further definition from The (Alternative) Legal Costs Dictionary: Specialist costs counsel n. counsel who was once given a brief by his clerk at 7.30pm to appear in Taunton County Court at 10.00am the next morning in relation to the detailed assessment of a bill of costs totalling £3,241.14 but received a text message at
Specialist costs counsel Read More »
I had prepared a detailed post advising readers of the Legal Costs Blog which party they should vote for in the General Election. Unfortunately, due to a technical problem, the post did not appear. Readers will now have to wait for the next election before discovering my political views. Professor Dominic Regan, in his blog,
Jackson hung out to dry? Read More »
The Law Society Gazette has reported problems on the launch of the new RTA Claims Process portal. If only there had been some way to predict this.
Portal of Doom runs into problems Read More »
We are always looking for interesting content for our readers and the Legal Costs Blog is absolutely delighted to have obtained an exclusive article from specialist costs counsel Kevin Latham and Mark Friston of Kings Chambers. This article covers the new Road Traffic Accident Protocol. This is the most comprehensive review of the scheme we
Exclusive RTA Protocol Article Read More »