The role of the Costs Lawyer features in the recent report – Reforming legal services: Regulation beyond the echo chambers – from Professor Stephen Mayson. This wide ranging report covers all aspects of the regulation of legal services. In the report he highlights the specialist nature of legal costs work which is often carried out by lawyers – “who lack the relevant knowledge and experience of costs law”.
As costs law and practice becomes more complex, this in turn leads to a danger of ‘dabbling’ from those without proper training. Mayson’s report recommends that specific authorisation should be required for the litigation of costs issues and rights of audience. The report also calls for a form of accreditation for all costs related legal work. According to ACL Chair Claire Green –
“Professor Mayson’s recommendations that costs work should be the preserve of properly trained and regulated costs professionals accurately identifies the shortcomings of the current system.”
We would certainly welcome the acknowledgment of the title of Costs Lawyer and the need for specialist training and experience that goes with it.