News

The SRA has opened a consultation that could lead to a shake-up of its powers to fine law firms for lower-level offences. The body oversees some 10,000 law firms and under the proposals, the income of the firms would be considered with fines up to a maximum of up to 5% of annual turnover being proposed for larger firms.

The person certifying a bill of costs must be identified, the High Court has ruled. Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust v AKC appealed a decision of Master Nagalingham who had refused to strike out a bill of costs for non compliance where the signature on the certificate was illegible and the signatory was not identified.

Slater & Gordon has had its application for a stay in claims made by its former clients rejected. A group of claimants have brought claims against the firm over the extent of the charges that were applied against them and the enforceability of the retainers. The court dismissed SG's argument that the proceedings amounted to their former client's lawyers' trafficking litigation and exposing them to risk.

The Ministry of Justice has published its long awaited response to the consultation on the fixed costs recommendations of Sir Rupert Jackson ('SRJ') made over 4 years' ago.

The Ministry of Justice is to press ahead with an increase in court fees. Although the increase will not be as dramatic as the bumper increases of 2016, it will still be seen as controversial against the backdrop of Covid and the serious deterioration in service.

Denovo is now booking for its Autumn seminar programme.
This year has seen many development in costs law from the extension of the Statement of Costs Pilot Scheme, the Rules Committee considering Part 36 offers on costs of Detailed Assessment to the recent increase in the guideline Hourly Rates.