IF YOU MISSED THE WEBINAR ON INFORMING THE CLIENT ABOUT THE COSTS OF LITIGATION IT IS NOW AVAILABLE “ON DEMAND”

The webinar on informing the client about the costs of litigation is now available “on demand” and  details can be found here. 

THE REASONS FOR THE WEBINAR

Recent Legal Ombudsman decisions show that solicitors’ firms are being ordered to repay substantial fees and pay significant compensation for failures in costs information — even where the underlying litigation has been competently conducted.

In Knight (t/a Knight’s Solicitors) v Legal Ombudsman [2025] EWHC 3434 (Admin), the firm was ordered to pay £50,000 in compensation and to repay £65,935.08 in costs to its clients. The Administrative Court refused to interfere. Once the costs complaint was upheld, the firm had no realistic route to challenge the outcome.

Knight is not an outlier. It forms part of a growing line of Ombudsman decisions in which firms have been penalised for:

• Inadequate or unclear costs information
• Inaccurate or misleading estimates
• Failing to keep clients properly informed as litigation develops

This webinar uses Knight and other recent decisions to show where firms are going wrong, how the Legal Ombudsman is approaching costs complaints, and what firms must do to protect themselves.

The session also considers how these issues are treated by the courts, including in solicitor/own client and inter partes assessments, and why costs information given early in a case can have serious consequences long after proceedings have concluded.

WHAT THE WEBINAR COVERS

This practical, defensive session addresses:-

• How the Legal Ombudsman is approaching costs complaints — and why firms are losing them
• Key Ombudsman decisions where firms have been ordered to repay fees or pay compensation
• Current guidance issued by the Legal Ombudsman
• The duties under the Solicitors Code of Conduct
• Why the duty to inform clients about costs is continuing, not a one-off obligation
• Particular risks that arise when acting under Conditional Fee Agreements (CFAs)
• Cases in which inadequate or misleading estimates have led to adverse findings against solicitors
• Why poor estimates can undermine recovery on inter partes assessments
• How to avoid complaints and adverse findings: retainers, letters of advice, and a practical compliance checklist
• Advising a client who complains about costs — should the complaint be taken to the Ombudsman or pursued under the Solicitors Act?

The focus throughout is practical and defensive: what firms need to say, record, update and retain in order to withstand complaints, assessments and scrutiny after the event.

CHECKLISTS AND DOCUMENTS PROVIDED

There are useful documents that accompany the webinar:-

• A booklet with 10 checklists for the lawyer to help ensure that they are providing information throughout the case.
• A checklist on the information to be provided and obtained upon initial instructions.
• A draft costs information letter.
• A costs update letter.
• A checklist to be given to the client.

THE  COSTS AND THE DISCOUNT CODE FOR CLB MEMBERS

The costs are £100 plus VAT. (CLB members obtain a 25% discount, use the discount code at the bottom of this post)

There are discounts for bookings of 5, the costs for 5 is £400 (again CLB members obtain a 25% discount using the code in this post).