News focus: Legal aid pay rises would stoke inflation – Raab – Law Society’s...
‘With the government set to unveil its full response to the Bellamy legal aid review, lord chancellor Dominic Raab says extra cash for solicitors is unlikely. The prospect of industrial action still...
View ArticleSolicitors fury at “real-terms cut” in criminal legal aid fees – Legal Futures
‘The Law Society yesterday reacted with fury to the government’s failure to deliver the 15% increase in criminal legal aid fees that its own report said was needed as a bare minimum.’ Full StoryLegal...
View ArticleBarristers set to pay the price for BSB performance problems – Legal Futures
‘The poor performance of the Bar Standards Board (BSB) is set to hit barristers in the pocket as it seeks to increase salaries to overcome recruitment and retention difficulties.’ Full StoryLegal...
View ArticleProsecution crisis ‘will deepen’ without fee increase, CBA chief warns – Law...
‘The Ministry of Justice has hailed the “significant progress” that has been made since the government published its landmark rape review action plan – however, the Criminal Bar Association has warned...
View ArticleNew Judgment: Barton and others v Morris and another in place of Gwyn-Jones...
‘Foxpace Limited (“Foxpace”), the Fourth Respondent, owned a property known as Nash House in London. This appeal concerns an oral agreement between Foxpace and Mr Barton, the First Respondent, about...
View ArticleBeneficiary allowed to challenge firm’s fees after fourfold rise – Law...
‘The High Court has allowed a will beneficiary to challenge a costs bill which rose significantly from its original estimate.’ Full StoryLaw Society’s Gazette, 10th February 2023Source:...
View ArticleCase Comment: Barton and Ors v Morris and Anor in place of Gwyn Jones...
‘In this post, Henry Powell (Associate) and Antoni Hajdon (Of Counsel) in the Real Estate Disputes team at CMS, comment on the case of Barton & Ors v Morris & Anor in place of Gwyn Jones...
View ArticleNHS trust faces £35k bill after legal row – BBC News
‘A Leicestershire NHS trust has been ordered to pay Harborough District Council £35,000 in legal fees after losing a court battle.’ Full StoryBBC News, 21st February 2023Source: www.bbc.co.uk
View ArticleBar courses still unaffordable, students tell regulator – Legal Futures
‘Nearly four in five Bar students still regard their courses as unaffordable despite an average drop of £4,700 in fees, research for the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has found.’ Full StoryLegal Futures,...
View Article4 New Square Chambers Insurance Law Review – Spring 2023 – 4 New Square
‘In our spring 2023 insurance law review we look at cases across a range of areas with no standout theme. We review cases ranging from Covid 19 business interruption claims to recovery of professional...
View ArticleReferral Fees and Illegality: Litkraft Ltd v Cottrell – Ropewalk Chambers
‘Litkraft Ltd v (1) Cottrell (2) Williams (3) Goldsmith [2023] EWHC 465 (Comm) has touched upon, but not decided, whether certain fee sharing arrangements could amount to a prohibited referral fee...
View ArticleCourt of Appeal finds Ombudsman decision to withdraw report was unlawful, but...
‘The Court of Appeal has dismissed a developer’s appeal concerning whether the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman had the power to withdraw a final report into Tewkesbury Borough Council’s...
View ArticleUK students seek compensation for Covid-affected tuition – The Guardian
‘Lawyers representing almost 1,000 current and former students whose studies were affected by Covid and strike action told the high court in London their clients felt “cheated” by their educational...
View ArticleCourt orders breakdown of medical expert fees – Law Society’s Gazette
‘Medical reporting organisations could face more scrutiny over their costs after a court ordered a full breakdown of expert fees.’ Full StoryLaw Society's Gazette, 25th May 2023Source:...
View ArticleClaim against law firm lost by court can proceed, appeal judges rule – Legal...
‘A claim against a law firm thrown out for being served too late can now proceed after the Court of Appeal held that the claim form was sealed with the wrong date.’ Full StoryLegal Futures, 7th June...
View ArticleHigh Court: Letter asserting solicitor’s lien was not defamatory – Legal Futures
‘The High Court has thrown out a defamation claim over a letter sent by one law firm to another asserting a solicitor’s lien over £100,000 of any damages awarded to its former clients.’ Full StoryLegal...
View ArticleAppeal judges uphold law firm’s entitlement to £300,000 fixed fee – Legal...
‘The Court of Appeal has upheld an award of £300,000 to a small central London law firm owed under a retainer which the client had claimed was not payable as the transaction it advised on did not go...
View ArticleSociety secures JR permission over criminal legal aid fees – Law Society’s...
‘The Law Society has been granted permission to take the government to court over its decision not to raise criminal legal aid fees by the minimum 15% recommended by the Bellamy review.’ Full StoryLaw...
View ArticleCA rejects latest challenge to costs deduction from damages – Legal Futures
‘The time for a client to challenge a solicitor’s deduction from their damages runs from the time the deduction is made, without the client having to agree the specific amount, the Court of Appeal has...
View ArticleLegal aid JR to be heard in run-up to Christmas – Law Society’s Gazette
‘A judicial review of the lord chancellor’s decision not to raise criminal legal aid fees for solicitors by the minimum 15% recommended by a government-commissioned review will be heard in the weeks...
View ArticleLaw firm’s “implausible” €1.4m claim against bank thrown out – Legal Futures
‘The High Court has granted a leading bank summary judgment on an “inherently implausible” €1.4bn (£1.2bn) claim for an introduction fee brought by a US law firm.’ Full StoryLegal Futures, 24th July...
View ArticleFirm wins £2.5m claim after client assigns loan to pay outstanding fees –...
‘A London law firm that took an assignment of nearly £2.5m owed to a client to pay its fees has been granted summary judgment by the High Court.’ Full StoryLegal Futures, 31st July 2023Source:...
View ArticleUmbrella Interchange Fee Proceedings – Blackstone Chambers
‘On Wednesday [26 July], the Competition Appeal Tribunal handed down a judgment that is particularly significant for its analysis of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the “2018 Act”) and the...
View ArticleRelief for claimant firms as appeal judges block costs challenge – Law...
‘A landmark Court of Appeal costs ruling in favour of claimant solicitors cannot be challenged in the Supreme Court, appeal judges have ruled.’ Full Story Law Society’s Gazette, 10th August 2023Source:...
View ArticleThe Consumer Rights Act 2015 A New Front in Solicitor-Client Assessments? –...
‘Surprisingly, the latest development in solicitor-client costs disputes has not come from the domestic courts, but from the European Court of Justice (ECJ). It has the potential to open up a new line...
View ArticleFirm’s tweet should have mentioned fee deduction, watchdog rules – Law...
‘A flight delay claims firm should have made clear that clients would not receive the full amount of compensation promised, advertising watchdogs have ruled.’ Full Story Law Society's Gazette, 30th...
View ArticleLaw Society and SRA win approval for 11.5% jump in cost of practising – Legal...
‘Individual solicitors and their firms will be paying an extra £13.2m to be regulated and represented in the coming year, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has confirmed.’ Full StoryLegal Futures, 7th...
View ArticleCouple stung by £89 storage fee after spending £4,500 on wills – Law...
‘A couple were told they would have to pay an annual £49 storage fee after spending £4,500 on their wills – which then increased to £89 a year, a report on the impact of unqualified advisers in the...
View ArticleJudges criticise Mastercard fees of 70% above guideline rates – Law Society’s...
‘Judges in the Competition Appeal Tribunal have taken a scythe to costs claims where solicitors were charging as much as 70% above the guideline hourly rate in a high profile group action.’ Full...
View ArticleClients ordered to pay costs assigned by firm to non-lawyer – Legal Futures
‘A law firm’s former clients have lost their appeal against a decision that they owe outstanding fees to the non-lawyer who took assignment of their retainers.’ Full StoryLegal Futures, 15th September...
View ArticleCounsel’s fees to be excluded from clin neg fixed fees regime – Legal Futures
Fees for counsel’s advice in lower-value clinical negligence cases will not be recoverable under the fixed recoverable cost (FRC) regime unless a child or protected party is involved, the Department of...
View ArticleHigh Court judge: Counsel’s fees should be subject to guideline rates – Legal...
‘It is “difficult to see the justification for treating counsel’s fees differently from solicitors’ fees” when it comes to applying guideline hourly rates (GHR), a High Court judge said yesterday.’...
View ArticleCourt stops firm using fees generated by claims joint venture – Legal Futures
‘The High Court has ordered a law firm not to use fees from a PPI claims joint venture now the subject of a dispute, despite it warning that this could put it out of business.’ Full StoryLegal Futures,...
View ArticleRule committee warned government over clin neg fixed fee timetable – Legal...
‘The Civil Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) warned the government in July about the difficulty of meeting the timetable for the new regime of fixed costs in low-value clinical negligence cases, it has...
View ArticleBarristers lose out in ‘all or nothing’ £150k fee claim – Law Society’s Gazette
‘Two barristers, one of them a silk, have lost what was described as an “all or nothing” court case in which they sued a former client for £150,000 in fees.’ Full StoryLaw Society's Gazette, 12th...
View ArticleThousands more eligible for financial help with court fees – Ministry of Justice
‘The most vulnerable in society will be better supported to access justice following an expansion of a scheme to help people with court and tribunal fees.’ Full StoryMinistry of Justice, 16th October...
View ArticleAre there any circumstances in which professional indemnity insurers will...
‘This was the broad question which confronted the Court of Appeal in RSA v. Tughans [2023] EWCA Civ 999, and the unanimous answer was Yes. The case is of interest both because of the result and because...
View ArticleCourt transcript costs are exploitative – BBC News
‘Victims of violent and sexual crimes are calling for court transcript costs to be cut after they were quoted “unaffordable” sums for them.’ Full StoryBBC News, 24th October 2023Source: www.bbc.co.uk
View ArticleFirm wins challenge to legal aid out of time reduction – Law Society’s Gazette
‘A firm has successfully challenged a 20% late-submission penalty to a legal aid settlement.’ Full StoryLaw Society's Gazette, 3rd November 2023Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
View ArticleCourt rejects ‘fishing expedition’ for firm’s call recording – Law Society’s...
‘A costs judge has refused a former client’s plea for a recording of the call where they signed up to instruct a law firm. In Turner v Coupland Cavendish, Costs Judge Rowley said the call recording...
View ArticleDiag Human v Volterra Fietta – Hailsham Chambers
‘The Court of Appeal dismisses the solicitors’ appeal in Diag Human v Volterra Fietta. In this note, Jamie Carpenter KC, Counsel for the successful Respondents, analyses the decision and its...
View ArticleSeverance Denied: Diag Human v Volterra Fietta [; A Potential Public Policy...
‘The Court of Appeal has held that the severance of terms rendering a CFA unenforceable was not available to solicitors on public policy grounds and that consequently their clients were entitled to the...
View ArticleTenants left ‘vulnerable’ over £10k unlawful fees – BBC News
‘A tenant said she and her family were left feeling “really vulnerable” after being charged unlawful fees totalling more than £10,000.’ Full StoryBBC News, 6th December 2023Source: www.bbc.co.uk
View ArticleQualified legal representatives will now get expenses but Law Soc says fees...
‘The Law Society has welcomed the announcement that expenses will be added to the qualified legal representative (QLR) scheme in domestic abuse cases, but says fees are still too low.’ Full StoryLaw...
View ArticleCouncil told to deduct £11k from outstanding care home fees after delays in...
‘The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found fault in the way that Essex County Council carried out a financial assessment and a deferred payment process for an elderly man with dementia.’...
View ArticleGovernment resurrects employment tribunal fees – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The government is proposing to reintroduce fees for employment tribunal claims, nearly seven years after the Supreme Court quashed the previous charging regime as unlawful.’ Full StoryLaw Society's...
View ArticleLegal action launched against ‘rip-off’ secret commissions on UK firms’...
‘Businesses across the UK have been forced to pay an extra 10% on average for their gas and electricity because suppliers routinely add third-party broker commissions to their bills, according to a...
View ArticleBarrister and part-time judge convicted of legal aid fraud – Legal Futures
‘A barrister and part-time immigration tribunal judge has become the last of a group of lawyers found guilty of defrauding the Legal Aid Agency by falsely claiming defence legal costs.’ Full StoryLegal...
View ArticleCivil case over £237m collapse of London Capital & Finance opens – with...
‘Counsel for a defendant in a civil case concerning the £237m collapse of mini bond issuer London Capital & Finance excused themselves from court on the first hearing day this morning – stating...
View ArticleGovernment urged not to resurrect fees for UK employment tribunals – The...
‘Unions and workers’ rights groups are urging the government to reconsider plans to reintroduce fees for employment tribunals amid fears it will encourage exploitation.’ Full Story The Guardian, 26th...
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