Why should you instruct a costs lawyer?

A costs lawyer is a specialist lawyer who deals with all aspects of legal costs. They can be employed in circumstances where there is a need to recover costs between the parties in litigation; ensure that clients are properly charged for their solicitor’s work where a dispute has arisen under the Solicitors Act 1974; and prepare claims for costs where a party is the recipient of legal aid.

An ‘Increasingly Complex and Specialised’ Area of Law Costs law is becoming increasingly complex and specialised, as acknowledged by Professor Stephen Mayson in the Independent Review of Legal Services Regulation Report 2020.

Costs lawyers are regulated by the Costs Lawyer Standards Board, meaning that as well as adhering to a code of conduct, they must hold professional indemnity insurance and undertake continuing professional development. A qualified and regulated costs lawyer will help to ensure that costs pleadings are compliant with the relevant provisions, prevent any avoidable shortfalls in costs recovery and obtain the best result for the client, whether recovering or opposing costs.

Costs-Effectiveness

Whilst costs lawyers are entitled to claim Grade B and C hourly rates, in practice their hourly rates are often far less than the conducting solicitor. Instructing a costs lawyer is usually cost-effective and their costs are generally recoverable from the paying party in principle, meaning that the instruction of a costs lawyer is often costs neutral.

It Allows the Solicitor to Focus on What They Do Best For law firms, instructing a costs lawyer allows the solicitor to focus their attention on case management. It can be beneficial to delegate costs work, such as costs budgeting and the preparation of statements of costs for interim hearings to professionals with the requisite expertise, allowing the solicitor to focus on implementing their winning case strategy.

ABOUT US

Athene Legal is a firm of experienced costs lawyers that deal with legal costs in a wide range of practice areas on behalf of both small and large law firms.

The firm is led by Tyler McEwen, who has dealt with the legal costs in a number of high profile and international cases and was awarded the Association of Costs Lawyers Cup by Senior Costs Judge, Master Gordon-Saker.

Get in touch for more information about our services by emailing info@athenelegal.co.uk or calling 020 7459 4843.