KNOWLEDGE HUB
NEWS AND INSIGHT FROM PARAMOUNT LEGAL
Explore Paramount Legal Costs' Knowledge Hub, your destination for insightful legal case law blogs. Authored by our team of experienced Legal Costs Draftpeople & Costs Lawyers, our blogs offer practical insights and expert commentary on recent court rulings and emerging legal trends.
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30th June 2023
Electronic Bills in the Court of Protection
The voluntary pilot for the use of electronic bills in the Court of Protection (COP E-Bills) ran from 1 November 2022 to 28 April 2023. The new bill is in Microsoft Excel format and, whilst it appears very different to the Microsoft Word format bill we were all used to, it provides a number of… Continue reading Electronic Bills in the Court of Protection
22nd June 2023
WIGAN BOROUGH COUNCIL V SCULLINDALE GLOBAL LTD & ORS [2021] EWHC 3852 (CH)
This case revisits a couple of interesting yet re-occurring points, both concerning the Claimant’s costs. The first being whether the Claimant could attempt to amend a previously approved costs budget retrospectively with the second point relating to whether the Claimant could recover 100% of it’s costs after the Defendant failed to accept a without prejudice… Continue reading WIGAN BOROUGH COUNCIL V SCULLINDALE GLOBAL LTD & ORS [2021] EWHC 3852 (CH)
2nd June 2023
SCIL 2023
We have been supporting The Society of Clinical Injury Lawyers (SCIL) Exhibition Day since its inception in 2015. The day brings together member of SCIL with fellow professionals and includes talks by leading individuals on wide range of topics that are affecting Clinical Negligence practitioners. This year we had both Helen Spalding and Charlene… Continue reading SCIL 2023
1st June 2023
Community
The Paramount team are incredibly proud of the communities that we are a part of and it has become increasing important for us to feel that we are making positive contributions. So back in 2019 we launched our Fundraising Forms which serves not only for community groups, charities, schools etc to request monetary donations, but… Continue reading Community
25th May 2023
TOP TIP: DON’T SELF EDIT
Don’t be tempted to limit the amount of time you record for a particular task, even if you think it took longer than it should have done. Fee earners with less experience in particular may be tempted to do so, but we recommend you record exactly how long the task took, and let the Costs… Continue reading TOP TIP: DON’T SELF EDIT
25th May 2023
TOP TIP: PAYMENT OF INVOICES
In the case of Jamie Walker (2001), Master O’Hare directed that time spent checking an invoice, checking the file to ensure the invoice had not already been paid, checking that there are sufficient funds in the account, and preparing the appropriate cheque and letter, is non-fee earner work. More recently, in the case of Connor… Continue reading TOP TIP: PAYMENT OF INVOICES
16th May 2023
Isah, R (On the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2023] EWCA Civ 268
This is another recent decision that makes for very interesting reading from a costs perspective. Arising from an appeal on whether or not a judge is permitted to order costs to be summarily assessed in a different court by a different judge or whether a Summary Assessment must be undertaken by the judge making the… Continue reading Isah, R (On the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2023] EWCA Civ 268
16th May 2023
Are Guideline rates really a valid starting point? Defendant’s appeal, failure and dismissal.
In Harlow District Council v Powerrapid Ltd (Rev1) [2023], the Defendant was ordered to pay costs following the dismissal of an Application for a compulsory order. The background of the main action was that the Claimant was the proprietor of a piece of land in Harlow. Harlow Council (Defendant) made a Compulsory Purchase Order in… Continue reading Are Guideline rates really a valid starting point? Defendant’s appeal, failure and dismissal.
17th April 2023
Is Covid and the late acceptance of a Part 36 offer a good reason to depart from Fixed Costs?
Today we look at the case of Osuzuwa v Madiera whereby District Judge Moan, sitting at Coventry County Court considered the Claimant’s entitlement to costs. The proceedings relate to a claim for personal injury which concluded on 13 January 2021 when the Defendant accepted the Claimant’s Part 36 offer (made on 13 December 2019). It… Continue reading Is Covid and the late acceptance of a Part 36 offer a good reason to depart from Fixed Costs?
17th April 2023
Fixed Costs and Medical Agency fees – Again
Ms Clair Wilkinson-Mulvanny v UK Insurance Ltd [19th January 2023] (County Court Decision). Despite its age, Fixed Recoverable Costs still seems to be a platform for dispute. In this particular matter, though it was undisputed that Fixed Costs applied, a dispute regarding the recoverability of a medical agency’s fee (contained within a medical report fee)… Continue reading Fixed Costs and Medical Agency fees – Again
13th April 2023
Top Tip: Importance of File Notes
File notes play a really important part for your file and recovery of your costs, so record all time spent on file notes where possible and try to ensure the file notes are correctly dated (and where possible that they match your time ledger). Ensure the time is recorded on the file note itself and… Continue reading Top Tip: Importance of File Notes
13th April 2023
Top Tip: Level of Contact and Two Fee Earners at an Attendance
The Professional Deputy Costs Guidance stipulates that the SCCO will usually allow one home visit within a 12-month period. However, it is noted that more visits may be required in order to meet the needs of P. In relation to any additional visits throughout the management period, the Deputy would need to justify these attendances… Continue reading Top Tip: Level of Contact and Two Fee Earners at an Attendance
23rd March 2023
TOP TIP: NEAT FILES
It is best practice to have a neat, chronological file, ideally with all papers in the one bundle/file. Files separated into multiple folders or sub-folders can take longer to cost and can be more time consuming for the Costs Officer to find a specific document. The risk of duplication is also higher. There are exceptions… Continue reading TOP TIP: NEAT FILES
14th March 2023
TOP TIP: PROFESSIONAL COSTS FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF A CLIENT
Where the Client’s death occurs during the general management year, the authority of the Deputy comes to an end. In this event, the Deputy should try agree their costs with the Executor of the Client’s estate to avoid delays in winding up the estate and incurring extra costs including court fee for assessment and preparation… Continue reading TOP TIP: PROFESSIONAL COSTS FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF A CLIENT
14th March 2023
Remote Working
I joined Paramount Legal Costs in May 2022 as a Costs Lawyer, as I wanted to focus on my specialism within the area of Court of Protection Costs. I knew the work itself wasn’t going to be the challenge as it would just be a case of getting to know new clients and how they… Continue reading Remote Working
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