Court rejects claim that instructions of counsel create conflict – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 27th, 2022 in barristers, costs, judicial review, law firms, news, professional conduct, pupillage by tracey

‘A costs judge has rejected calls for claimant lawyers to be punished for alleged conflict in the way counsel was instructed to handle a case.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 24th June 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘I wouldn’t have the money to pay a lawyer’: tenants left without means to sue rogue landlords – The Guardian

‘Poor and vulnerable tenants who are evicted from their homes or living in dangerous conditions will lose the chance to take their landlords to court when new government rules on legal costs come into force next year, experts are warning.’

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The Guardian, 26th June 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Not incidental enough – Nearly Legal

Posted June 24th, 2022 in appeals, costs, housing, landlord & tenant, leases, news, service charges by tracey

‘Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets v Khan (2022) EWCA Civ 831. A Court of Appeal judgment on whether a freeholder, LB Tower Hamlets, was entitled to contractual legal costs under the lease, following a money claim for unpaid service charges.’

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Nearly Legal, 21st June 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

High Court: No case justifies only using grade A fee-earners – Legal Futures

Posted June 16th, 2022 in costs, fees, news, solicitors by sally

‘A High Court judge said yesterday that he has never come across a case where some of the work could not be delegated to a more junior fee-earner.’

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Legal Futures, 16th June 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New Judgment: Competition and Markets Authority v Flynn Pharma Ltd and another, and Competition and Markets Authority v Pfizer Inc and another [2022] UKSC 14 – UKSC Blog

Posted May 27th, 2022 in appeals, competition, costs, news, ombudsmen, Supreme Court by sally

‘The Respondent is a public body tasked with investigating companies suspected of breaching competition law and penalising those found to have done so. The Appellants are both pharmaceutical companies fined by the CMA and both appealed to the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) challenging the CMA’s decision. The CAT allowed the appeals in part, set aside part of the CMA’s decision, and remitted the case to the CMA for reconsideration.’

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UKSC Blog, 25th May 2022

Source: ukscblog.com

Supreme Court maintains SRA costs protection for failed prosecutions – Legal Futures

‘The Supreme Court has upheld the principle that costs should only be awarded against the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in unsuccessful prosecutions where there is good reason to do so.’

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Legal Futures, 26th May 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Alerter by Arnold Ayoo – Costs of an Interim Injunction Where a Defendant Consents to Relief – Henderson Chambers

Posted May 20th, 2022 in chambers articles, costs, injunctions, news by sally

‘In Clayton Recruitment Limited v Wilson & Anor [2022] EWHC 1054 (Ch), the Claimant obtained a costs order after compromising an application for injunctive relief in the Chancery Division against a Defendant.’

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Henderson Chambers, 11th May 2022

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk

Landlord loses court battle with local authority over costs agreement reached by his counsel – Local Government Lawyer

‘A cost agreement cannot be undone simply because one party claimed to have stopped instructing the barrister concerned.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 19th May 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

A judge has discretion to grant relief from sanctions without a formal application or any application at all, Court of Appeal reaffirms- Farrar’s Building

‘In Park v Hadi and Another [2022] EWCA Civ 581, the Court of Appeal (Holroyde, Stuart-Smith and Warby LJJ), reaffirmed the principle that a judge may, of her own discretion, grant relief from sanctions without formal notice or without any application at all. The Court went on to issue guidance as to how this judicial discretion ought to be exercised, observing that a judge should always act in accordance with the overriding objective and will likely only exercise her discretion to grant relief sparingly.’

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Farrar's Building, 5th May 2022

Source: www.farrarsbuilding.co.uk

Revision and variation of costs budgets on account of significant developments: Consequences of failing to obtain the court’s approval – Guildhall Chambers

Posted May 19th, 2022 in budgets, civil procedure rules, costs, news by sally

‘Once a Costs Management Order (“CMO”) has been made, parties are required to revise costs budgets if significant developments in the litigation warrant such revisions. If the revised costs budgets are not agreed, the Court’s approval of the variations must be sought by the revising party. The requirements for revisions to costs budgets and approval by the Court were in 3PD Paragraph 7.6 and, following amendments in 2020, are now in CPR 3.15A under the heading “Revision and variation of costs budgets on account of significant developments (‘variation costs’)”.’

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Guildhall Chambers, 2nd May 2022

Source: www.guildhallchambers.co.uk

Equalising goal: Law Society proposes SLAPP curbs – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 19th, 2022 in costs, freedom of expression, Law Society, news, public interest by sally

‘The Law Society has today echoed calls for a clampdown on so-called “lawfare”, but warned of “unintended consequences” if reforms are not properly thought through.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 19th May 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Costs in Contempt Proceedings – Francis Taylor Building

Posted May 18th, 2022 in appeals, chambers articles, costs, injunctions, news, trespass by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has handed down judgment in The Secretary of State for Transport and High Speed 2 Ltd v Cuciurean [2022] EWCA Civ 661 (link), an appeal against a costs order made against Mr Cuciurean after his committal for contempt for breaching an anti-trespass injunction. The breaches arose in the context of Mr Cuciurean’s opposition to and desire to protest against the HS2 project.’

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Francis Taylor Building, 16th May 2022

Source: www.ftbchambers.co.uk

Judge blasts ‘wasteful’ lawyers who filed 6,000-page bundles – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 16th, 2022 in costs, judges, law firms, news, solicitors by tracey

‘A High Court judge has issued a stern rebuke to lawyers who ran up massive costs and lumbered the court with voluminous bundles.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 16th May 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Home secretary Priti Patel overrode legal advice in asylum cases, adding to record costs – The Independent

‘Priti Patel has repeatedly overridden Home Office legal advice on immigration and asylum cases, adding to record costs for the taxpayer, The Independent can reveal.’

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The Independent, 15th May 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Solicitors lose appeal over £2m invoice charged through DBA – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 13th, 2022 in appeals, costs, damages, insolvency, law firms, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has dismissed an attempt by solicitors to secure a £2m payment from an insolvent client for work carried out on a damages based agreement.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 12th May 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Section 40: government to repeal controversial media law – The Guardian

Posted May 12th, 2022 in costs, media, news, repeals by sally

‘A controversial law that could force publishers to pay the costs of the people who sue them, even if they win, is to be repealed, the government has announced.’

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The Guardian, 10th May 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

LiP loses costs challenge over ‘no longer instructed’ barrister – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A litigant who tried to argue that his costs order was agreed by a barrister who was no longer instructed has lost a court challenge.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 9th May 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Case Comment: Her Majesty’s Attorney General v Crosland [2021] UKSC 58 – UKSC Blog

‘Mr Crosland appealed against a decision of the Supreme Court in which he was ordered to pay a fine of £5,000 to HM Paymaster General, and costs of a further £15,000, for contempt of court. The court at first instance (“First Instance Panel”) was satisfied that Mr Crosland committed contempt of court by disclosing the outcome of the court’s judgment in R (on the application of Friends of the Earth) v Heathrow Airport Ltd [2020] UKSC 52 (“Heathrow Judgment”) whilst still in draft and subject to embargo.’

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UKSC Blog, 26th April 2022

Source: ukscblog.com

EPA prosecution costs – Nearly Legal

‘A judicial review of a Magistrates Court decision on costs in a section 82 Environmental Protection Act 1990 prosecution.’

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Nearly Legal, 18th April 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Treat family separations “as transactions, not litigation” – Legal Futures

Posted April 14th, 2022 in costs, dispute resolution, divorce, families, family courts, judges, news by tracey

‘Family separation cases should “operate in a transactional way, as with conveyancing, rather than under the banner of litigation”, the chair of the Family Solutions Group has argued.’

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Legal futures, 14th April 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk