The following article will be of interest to the wider legal costs profession, those who instruct law costs draftsmen and particularly to independent costs draftsmen. I am aware that members of the judiciary also read the Legal Costs Blog. They are likely to find this article particularly useful as they are likely to see an […]
Rights of audience of law costs draftsmen – Part 1 Read More »
I previously expressed some concern as to whether those judges dealing with provisional assessments in the new Leeds assessment pilot would be sufficiently familiar with the minutia of legal costs law. Those concerns have been somewhat reduced as I understand that all the provisional assessments will be done by one of two Regional Costs Judges
Leeds provisional assessment pilot – Update Read More »
Now that we’ve all had the chance to consider the new rules for the County Court Provisional Assessment Pilot, which starts on 1 October 2010, lets make sure we are all familiar with the details. CPD 40.12 appears to continue to apply: The following provisions apply in respect of the papers to be filed in
County Court Provisional Assessment Pilot Read More »
Previously we considered whether the Leeds detailed assessment pilot (click link) would reduce the judicial and court time spent dealing with costs disputes. The new rules can be viewed here: County Court Provisional Assessment Pilot Scheme at Annex 2. The next issue is whether provisional assessment will reduce the costs to the parties. Those costs
Leeds assessment pilot – costs lawyer bonanza? Read More »
Yesterday we examined what amounts to a “competent” law costs draftsman from the receiving party’s perspective. Today we will look at this from the paying party’s view point. From the paying party’s perspective, the key criteria are similar as for a receiving party’s costs draftsman: 1. The ability to recognise that there may be problems
Law costs draftsmen and competency Read More »
The Association of Law Costs Draftsmen, when responding to concerns about the recent changes being made to the membership structure and qualification requirements, stated: “The rights which [the ALCD] will regulate include rights of audience and rights to provide legal services, and may in due course include the right to practise reserved legal activities. This
Competent law costs draftsmen Read More »
The last of Jackson LJ’s Civil Costs Review Seminars was concerned with the detailed assessment procedure. There was overwhelming, if not unanimous, support for the introduction of provisional assessments of costs on paper. In the recent Written Ministerial Statement by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Jonathan Djanogly MP), confirming that the Government planned to
Leeds detailed assessment pilot Read More »
Not long ago I commented on the perceived differences in the skills of specialist costs counsel compared with costs lawyers and concluded that the latter could not realistically expect to compete with the former. The comments that were made on the post suggest that I am not alone in this view. You can therefore imagine
Costs Counsel v Costs Lawyer – Round Two 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 »
Not all of the proposals contained in Lord Justice Jackson’s Review of Civil Litigation Costs require primary legislation. One of the intriguing questions is the extent to which the judiciary will quietly introduce some of his ideas. Andrew Parker, writing in the New Law Journal, said: "Anecdotally one or two County Courts are already taking
Is Jackson already happening? Read More »
