In the middle of June, we had our quarterly “Everyone in the Office” day here at Paramount, and it was fantastic to see everyone again. The team here has grown over the past 18 months, and we continue to build the department with quality staff, to supplement the knowledge and experience of those who have been here longer. We are rarely all in the office together due to logistics, but the days when we have the whole team in are great, if not the most productive! But that is ok, as it is important to have a happy team as we know how hard everyone works the rest of the time, and finding that right balance is key.
The Paramount Values form the basis and ethos of the company:
- Quality – we employ the best people and pride ourselves on our wide and varied knowledge.
- Relationship driven – we build long term relationships with clients, and no client is just a number.
- Respect – we value our clients and appreciate that each one is unique.
- Leadership – we encourage the team to lead by example and take the initiative.
- Accountability – by taking responsibility, we empower the team to make the right decisions.
The above Values mean that clients receive the best costs services and advice. When I wrote a similar piece this time last year, I spoke of the growth that the firm had experienced, and that has continued in to 2023. It has also been lovely to see clients and potential clients in person over the past six months, as whilst video calls serve a very important purpose, there is nothing quite like meeting face to face and connecting with people. This applied too with our recent strategy day, and it is always interesting listening to different views and seeing how little ideas develop in to definitive plans.
There have been some recent developments in the costs world, and I have had lots of discussions with clients on the back of the decision of His Honour Judge Bird in the case of Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust v Hoskin where the judge ordered the Claimant to provide a breakdown between the expert’s costs and the medical agency fee. This is not a binding decision and I believe it is being appealed, so we will have to keep a close eye on developments.
Having attended both the AvMA and Society of Clinical Injury Lawyers’ conferences, there was also a lot of chat in relation to the fixed costs regime now that the tables have been produced. The tables show the level of costs which will be applicable. Plenty of firms are taking stock and will be continuing to assess matters over the coming months, but there did seem to be a lot more questions than answers.
The next “Everyone in the Office” day is in September, and given how the weeks are flying by, it will soon be with us. It will be great to see everyone again and hear about the various exploits over the summer months, and I am already looking forward to it.
This was written by Tom Brocklebank, Costs Lawyer and Head of the Litigation Department, and if you wish to contact him, then you can email him here.