Costs Budgets – getting it right

Costs Budgeting is an area of concern for many firms. A number of recent cases have reinforced the importance of the budget. Notably, in the well known case of Harrison v University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire Hospitals NHS Trust the Court of Appeal approved the earlier decision in Merrix that the court will not depart…

Flight Delays and Proportionality

Claims for damages arising out of flight delays are usually of relatively low value. They are normally brought under the European Small Claims Procedure. This procedure includes an entitlement to legal costs. But those costs should not be disproportionate. This has been an issue in the recent case of Senior v Blue Air reported in…

The Changing Role of the Costs Lawyer

The role of the costs lawyer, in personal injury cases, has traditionally been to secure the best outcome for instructing solicitors on behalf of a receiving party following litigation. This was particularly the case prior to April 2013 when the loser normally paid the whole of the costs, success fees and ATE Insurance. From April…