SENIOR COURT COSTS OFFICE GUIDE 2025: NEW EDITION PUBLISHED YESTERDAY
A new edition of the Senior Court Costs Office Guide was published yesterday. Here we provide the link and have a look at one issue relating to “representation”. (“Hot off the press is a term that is difficult to apply…
MAZUR MATTERS 17: WHAT ABOUT COST LAWYERS? RE-VISITING OLD GROUND: A CASE THAT MAKES USEFUL READING
There are a number of issues that have come up in relation to the impact of the Mazur decision. One of those relates to the activities of cost lawyers. The case law and principles relating to this were considered in…
COST BITES 293: AN EXAMPLE OF AN ASSESSMENT OF A SUMMARY ASSESSMENT (AND COSTS BEING REDUCED) WHEN THE OPPOSING PARTY WAS NOT PRESENT
The periodical reminder that this series is aimed at looking at what goes on “on the ground” in the world of costs, in addition to looking at important developments in case law. It is to allow litigators to gain “a…
THE “CONDUCT OF LITIGATION” CASE CONTINUED: WHY THE CIRCUIT JUDGE ERRED AS TO COSTS: FIXED COSTS APPLIED IN ANY EVENT
We are returning to a case we have looked at several times already. This time on the question of costs. Since the appellants were successful the costs order against them was overturned. However it was held that the judge erred…
COST BITES 285: DOES THE COURT NEED TO VARY THE RECEIVING PARTY’S BUDGET WHEN IT HAS ORDERED THAT COSTS BE PAID ON AN INDEMNITY BASIS?
We are looking again at the award of indemnity costs. The judge ordered that costs be paid to the claimant on the indemnity basis. He then went on to consider whether, given that decision, it was necessary to retrospectively vary…
COST BITES 283: “A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THE POINTS OF DISPUTE WERE DISMISSED”: NOT ENOUGH DETAIL, FAILING TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN STANDARD AND INDEMNITY BASIS COSTS
We are looking at a different aspect of the case we have already looked at this morning. However the paying party in that case to some extent where the authors of their own misfortune. In particular the judge held that…
THE CIVIL LITIGATION BRIEF TOOLBOX SERIES 2: WHERE DO YOU LOOK WHEN FACED WITH AN ARGUMENT ON ASSESSEMENT THAT COSTS SHOULD BE REDUCED BECAUSE OF “PROPORTIONALITY”?
The principles considered here work for both sides. Where does a receiving party look when the paying party wants to reduce costs because of “proportionality”? Where does a paying party look to gain guidance on such issues. I am here…
COST BITES 282: PROPORTIONALITY OF COSTS CONSIDERED AFTER A LINE BY LINE ASSESSMENT: TAKE YOUR SEATS FOR A CASE ABOUT THE ALBERT HALL…
I am grateful to my colleague Paul Hughes for bringing my attention to this decision of the SCCO in relation to proportionality. It is a case where the paying party specifically raised proportionality as a further and specific issue after…
COST BITES 281: THE CLAIMANTS SUCCEEDED AT TRIAL – ARE THEY ENTITLED TO INDEMNITY COSTS OR SHOULD COSTS BE REDUCED BY 20%?
We are looking at the judge’s consideration of costs issues after a lengthy trial. The claimants had succeeded and the judge considered whether the matter had been conducted in such a way as to justify an order for indemnity costs…
CIVIL PROCEDURE BACK TO BASICS 106: WHEN IS VAT ON LEGAL COSTS RECOVERABLE FROM THE OTHER SIDE ON ASSESSMENT?
Yesterday we looked at a case where a receiving party accidentally included a claim for VAT in a bill of costs. The error was noted, after being queried by the judge, however the judge went on to state ” I…
COST BITES 280: THE PERILS OF INCLUDING A VAT IN A BILL BY MISTAKE: THE COURT WOULD NOT DEPART FROM THE GUIDELINE RATES: NEVERTHELESS £202,000 ALLOWED ON ASSESSMENT FOR A ONE DAY APPEAL
We are looking at a case where the judge summarily assessed costs with no input from the paying party. The receiving party had made a mistake by claiming VAT (something only appreciated when the judge raised the question). There was…
COST BITES 279: COSTS AWARDED IN WHAT IS NORMALLY A “NO COSTS” JURISDICTION: THE FIRST TIER TRIBUNAL (PROPERTY CHAMBER)
It is worthwhile taking a look at cases where costs are awarded in cases where there normally would be no inter party order for costs. We look at such a case here, in the First Tier Tribunal. On appeal to…
ATTENDANCE NOTES IN CIVIL LITIGATION 2025: WEBINAR 15th SEPTEMBER 2025
There have been at least three cases over the previous few months where attendance notes taken by solicitors have played a significant part in the outcome of a case, appeal or application. These notes protected a solicitor against complaints of…
COST BITES 278: HOURLY RATES OF £685(GRADE A) AND £420 (GRADE C) ALLOWED: A SUMMARY ASSESSMENT IN ACTION
One of the aims of this series is to look at how costs awards are being made in practice. What is happening “on the ground” is important, if not essential, knowledge for working litigators. Here we look at a summary…
COST BITES 277: WHEN A CLIENT CHALLENGES A SOLICITOR’S BILL BUT IS OUTSIDE THE TIME PERIODS FOR CHALLENGE IN THE SOLICITORS ACT: THE RESIDUAL ISSUE OF COSTS BEING REASONABLE AND THE COMMON LAW ASSESSMENT
Here we are looking at a case that reminds us that a client’s ability to challenge the reasonableness of solicitor’s costs can go outside the Solicitors Act. Even when the time for challenging the bill has passed the court can…
COST BITES 276 : A SUMMARY ASSESMENT IN ACTION: COSTS AFTER AN ARGUMENT ABOUT COSTS… THE COURT WOULD NOT IMPOSE A COSTS CAP – LOWER THAN THE FIGURE ARGUED FOR ON APPEAL
Here we are looking a a summary assessment of costs following an appeal that was all about costs. The are a number of issues of interest here: the hourly rates, time spent and use of Leading Counsel are considered. Further…
COST BITES 275: APPELLANT SUCCESSFUL IN PUTTING LOCAL AUTHORITY RECEIVING PARTIES TO THEIR ELECTION IN RELATION TO CCFAS
It may be a matter of comment when the suspicion arises that the costs of arguing about costs exceeds the initial costs in dispute. I suspect that may be the case in many cases in this series (indeed people have…
COST BITES 273: A QUICK LOOK AT A SUMMARY ASSESSMENT: YOU CAN HAVE A ROLLS ROYCE SERVICE, BUT YOU CAN’T EXPECT THE OTHER SIDE TO PAY FOR IT…
We are continuing with the practice of having a close look at the result of a summary assessment. The judge’s observations in this case are particularly telling, about the basis of assessment, hourly rates, the use of leading counsel and…
COST (MEGA) BITES 370 : WE WANT AN INTERIM PAYMENT ON COSTS OF £3.75 MILLION – BUT WE DON’T WANT TO GIVE A DETAILED BREAKOWN OF WHY: COURT OF APPEAL CONSIDERS THE ISSUES
It is rare for the Court of Appeal to give a detailed judgment on costs. It is even rarer for it to consider the principles relating to interim payments on account of costs. This is what we are looking at…
COST BITES 269: WHAT COSTS ORDERS SHOULD BE MADE WHEN THE CLAIMANTS AVOID STRIKING OUT BY AMENDING THEIR PLEADINGS, BUT THE DEFENDANT OPPOSED THE APPLICATION TO AMEND? LITIGATION ON A “PAY AS YOU GO” BASIS
If ever a judgment showed how difficult litigation can be it is the costs decision we are looking at here. A defendant made an application to strike out a case on the grounds of inadequate pleadings. That application would, without…
COST BITES 268: NO STAY OF AN ORDER THAT A SOLICITOR RESPOND TO PART 18 QUESTIONS: A COSTS ASSESSMENT IN ACTION
It is always interesting when we get to see “round 2” of a decision in relation to an application and appeal. It is even more interesting when we see the costs orders made and the figures involved. This case has…
COST BITES 267: WHAT IS THE COURT’S APPROACH WHEN IT DETERMINES THAT A RECEIVING PARTY SHOULD NOT HAVE INSTRUCTED LEADING COUNSEL?
Here we have a consideration of what the court’s approach on summary assessment when it considers that leading counsel should not have been instructed. (Silk worms at work. They did not weave their magic when it came to the assessment…
COST BITES 266: WHAT DOES THE COURT DO IF THE COSTS ARE DISPROPORTIONAL AFTER A LINE BY LINE ASSESSMENT? A WORKING EXAMPLE
Here we look at a judgment relation to proportionality and the assessment of costs. The claimant’s costs had been substantially reduced after a three day assessment but the judge found that the total sum was still disproportional. The judge could…
COST BITES 266: THE DEFENDANT WHO OBTAINED AN ORDER FOR INDEMNITY COSTS IN HER FAVOUR AND STILL ENDED UP CONSIDERABLY OUT OF POCKET: PART 36 OFFERS IN THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS: PLUS – “COSTS CAPPING” CONSIDERED – AND REFUSED
We are looking at a case where a defendant successfully defended an application to commit, was awarded indemnity costs and yet ended up considerably out of pocket. It shows the importance of a well judged Part 36 offer by the…
COST BITES 265: THE PERILS OF WORKING UNDER A CFA: THE COSTS JUDGE CORRECTLY ASSESSED COSTS AT NIL: THE DEFENDANT WAS ENTITLED TO TAKE A POINT THAT WAS NOT TAKEN AT AN EARLIER HEARING: THEY WERE SIMPLY FOLLOWING THE COURT’S ORDERS
Here we have a case that could well bring tears to the eyes of any litigator who works on a conditional fee basis. For the second time, on appeal, the claimant solicitor’s costs have been unsuccessful. The defendant former client…
COST BITES 264: WHEN SHOULD A CASE BE REFERRED TO DETAILED AS OPPOSED TO SUMMARY ASSESSMENT? PERHAPS WHEN THE SOLICITORS ARE SEEKING £1,345.50 AN HOUR…
It is rare to see costs issues, initially suitable for summary assessment, referred for detailed assessment. We have such a case here. The judge decided that the issues, and in particular the hourly rate for solicitors sought by the receiving…
COST BITES 261: HOW MUCH DID THAT (UNSUCCESSFUL) APPLICATION TO AMEND COST? SOME £616,000 APPARENTLY…
Here we are looking at the award of costs following the judgment considered in the previous post. The applicants had, they said, incurred £435,000 in costs, the respondents sought £181,374.28. For the most part the judge rejected the applicants’ submissions…
NEW RULES COMING INTO FORCE ON THE 12TH SEPTEMBER 2025 AND THE 1ST OCTOBER 2025 (1): COSTS
Here we look at the latest statutory instrument which makes changes to the rules. We are starting by looking at the changes in relation to the rules relating to costs. These provisions come into force on the 1st October 2025….
COST BITES 259: COSTS FOLLOWING AN APPEAL : SHOULD COSTS BE ON THE INDEMNITY BASIS? WAS THIS A “HEAVY” CASE? SUMMARY ASSESSMENT IN ACTION
It is always interesting to look at the awards that are actually made following an assessment of costs. Whilst each case is fact specific it is possible for litigators to pick up important points. Here we have a consideration of…
MEMBER NEWS: THE BACK CATALOGUE 3: THE COST BITES SERIES – 258 POSTS SO FAR AND NO SIGN OF STOPPING…
We can wager a bet (for charity of course) that 99.9% of litigators and 100% of litigants who read a judgment think – who paid the costs? The aim of this series, started in July 2022, was to enable practitioners…
COST BITES 257: SOLICITOR AND OWN CLIENT ASSESSMENTS AND “UNUSUAL COSTS”: WHY THE ATTENDANCE NOTE IS OFTEN THE SOLICITOR’S BEST FRIEND
A solicitor is under a specific duty to warn the client when “unusual costs “are being incurred, particularly those costs that may be irrecoverable on an inter party basis. Here we have an example of a (former) client asserting that…
COST BITES 253: COURT OF APPEAL ALLOW APPEAL IN HOLCROFT -V- THORNEYCROFT SOLICITORS – BY CONSENT: AN “AGREEMENT” AS TO THE DEDUCTION OF COSTS DOES NOT PREVENT A SOLICITORS ACT ASSESSMENT
The case of Holcroft -v- Thorneycroft has been discussed on this site in the past. The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal, by consent, setting aside the original orders and directing that the defendants pay the costs of the …
COST BITES 252: WHEN CAN A SOLICITOR PROPERLY TERMINATE A RETAINER? WAS THE CLIENT “THROWN TO THE LIONS”?
Here we are looking at a very small part of a judgment in relation to costs on a solicitor/own client assessment. On of the arguments put forward by the (former) client was that the retainer was wrongfully terminated shortly before…
COST BITES 251: POINTS OF DISPUTE MUST BE PROPERLY PARTICULARISED OR THEY WILL BE STRUCK OUT: HIGH COURT DECISION TODAY CONSIDERED
There have been a number of cases now where the courts have considered the obligations on a party filing Points of Dispute to a bill of costs. In particular the need to be particular. Those obligations are considered in detail…
COST BITES 250: SHOULD THE CLAIMANT’S SOLICITOR BE ENTITLED TO RECOVER A FULL SUCCESS FEE AND THE ATE PREMIUM? A DECISION MADE ON APPEAL
We are looking at a decision made on appeal in relation to the very common issue of the percentage of a success fee and the taking out, and subsequent deduction from damages, of an After the Event Insurance policy. The…
COST BITES 249 : SHOULD A COSTS ORDER BE STAYED? SHOULD THE DEFENDANT BE ORDERED TO PAY COSTS? LOOKING AT A SUMMARY ASSESSMENT IN ACTION: ARE THE COSTS DISPROPORTIONAL
Continuing with the aim of looking at what is going on “on the ground” in relation we look at a short but interesting judgment that encompasses many aspects of costs. Should the court order a stay pending a possible appeal?…
COST BITES 247: SHOULD A SOLICITOR RESPOND TO PART 18 QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PAYMENT OF COMMISSION? THE HIGH COURT CONSIDERS THE POINT TODAY
Here we are looking at another round in the solicitor-own client assessment war of attrition. The question was whether a solicitor, in a solicitor and own client assessment, should reply to Part 18 requests for further information about premiums paid…
COST BITES 246: THE RECOVERABILITY OF PROBATE COSTS IN FATAL CLAIMS: HOW DOES A PARTY PROVE THEIR CASE?
The issue of whether the costs of obtaining probate are recoverable as costs in fatal accident, or Law Reform Act, claims is one that regularly arises. The principles involved are clear. Here we have the Senior Costs Judge considering the…
ANOTHER ROUND IN THE MEDICAL AGENCY/FEE BREAKDOWN CONFLICT: THERE ARE LOTS OF CASES TO CHOOSE FROM…
I am grateful to Express Solicitors for sending me a transcript of a judgment that marks another round in the fee note/medical agency/provide a breakdown conflict. Here we have the judge considering whether a breakdown, incorporating the percentage taken by…
COST BITES 244: WHEN ARE INDEMNITY COSTS APPROPRIATE? SHOULD THE FEES OF JUNIOR COUNSEL BE RECOVERED IN FULL? A SUMMARY ASSESSMENT IN THE COMMERCIAL COURT CONSIDERED
I periodically remind people (and remind myself) that one of the purposes of this series is to look at what is happening “on the ground” in relation to costs, including the summary assessment of costs. Practitioners may only have limited…
MISCONDUCT IN ASSESSMENT AND REDUCTIONS IN COSTS 3: A REVIEW OF THE CASES 3: A CASE WHERE COSTS WERE HALVED AND A WASTED COSTS ORDER MADE AGAINST THE RECEIVING PARTY’S SOLICITOR
This is the third in this series looking at cases where misconduct has been alleged, or found, in the costs assessment process. We have here a bill of costs that was reduced substantially, which failed to beat a Part 36…
HOW FAR IS A SOLICITOR’S ESTIMATE OF COSTS BINDING? THE RELEVANT PRINCIPLES CONSIDERED AND APPLIED: A HIGH COURT APPEAL
Many, if not all, litigators will be familiar with the scenario whereby an estimate of costs is given and events develop so that the estimate is overtaken. This scenario was considered in the case we are considering today. An estimate…
COST BITES 243: EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNAL DID NOT ERR WHEN IT ORDERED THE APPLICANT TO PAY (UP TO) £210,000 IN COSTS
It is important for all litigators and litigants to know that some regimes, although normally costs free, do have a discretion to award costs. The Employment Tribunal is an example of this. In this case the Employment Appeal Tribunal upheld…
COST BITES 242: THE WORDING OF THE RETAINER DID NOT ENABLE THE SOLICITOR TO RENDER INTERIM STATUTE BILLS: THE BILLS HAD INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION IN ANY EVENT
I am grateful to my colleague Paul Hughes for sending me a copy of the decision we are looking at today. Another case on the ongoing saga of whether a retainer allows a solicitor to serve interim statute bills. The…
YOU SPENT £1.2 MILLION ON EXPERTS AND IT WAS MAINLY MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN: DEFENDANTS ALLOWED TO RECOVER 20% OF FEES INCURRED
Sometimes you have to go looking for a pun as a headline for a blog post. Often they simply write themselves. In a case involving water companies who spent £1.2 million on experts, this was one of these cases. The…
COST BITES 240: THERE IS NOT A “CATCH 22” POSITION IN RELATION TO THE DRAFTING OF THESE CONDITIONAL FEE AGREEMENTS
We are continuing to work through the results of one case in relation to the recoverability of success fees from a client’s damages. The claimants, seeking to challenge their former solicitors deduction of costs from their damages, argued that the…
COST BITES 238: WHEN A CLIENT DISPUTES THE SOLICITOR’S COSTS: THE JUDGE’S VIEW ON MEMORY, WITNESSES AND STATEMENTS DRAFTED “WITH THE GUIDING HAND OF THE CLAIMANTS’ SOLICITOR”
Today we are looking at part of a judgment about costs. Ten claimants had been selected (out of 223) to give evidence challenging a solicitor’s deduction of success fees. In fact only four of the claimants attended court to give…
THE ROLE OF LEADING COUNSEL IN RELATION TO EXPERT REPORTS AND WITNESS STATEMENTS: A CLIENT CAN PAY FOR WHAT THEY WANT, BUT THESE COSTS WILL NOT BE RECOVERABLE INTER PARTES
How far should leading counsel, or counsel generally, be involved in the preparation of expert reports and witness statements? One obvious reply is “not at all”, given that the evidence should come from the expert or witness. These issues were…
COST BITES 236 : COSTS BUDGETING CAN BE RETROSPECTIVE : BUDGET CONSIDERED FROM THE DATE OF THE CCMC NOT 11 MONTHS LATER
Can the court ever set a costs budget retrospectively? In this case the judge held that it could, further there were good reasons for doing so in this case. “I do not accept that the Court is unable to…
COST BITES 235: HOW IMPORTANT ARE ESTIMATES WHEN DETERMINING SOLICITOR AND OWN CLIENT COSTS?
Most clients will want to know how much legal work is going to cost them. Most lawyers provide an estimate. The question in this case is how significant is that original estimate in a subsequent solicitor and own client assessment? …
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