The area of costs has become, certainly over recent years, one of increasing importance and the subject of intense scrutiny. What was once considered by some to be little more than an adjunct to litigation has evolved into a separate, discrete area of law where specialist knowledge is essential.
In response to our clients’ needs in this rapidly expanding area, Ropewalk Chambers has developed a costs team, which is made up of both leading and junior Counsel. The work that we now undertake covers the whole spectrum of costs work, both advisory and throughout the course of litigation.
Members of Ropewalk Chambers’ costs team have appeared in some of the leading costs cases including the technical challenges to Conditional Fee Agreements in the six appellate cases of Hollins –v- Russell [2003] and other appeals. Other landmark cases include Thornley –v- Lang [2004] and Oyston -v- Royal Bank of Scotland [2006] and the leading housing disrepair case of Bowen –v- Bridgend County Borough Council [2004].
Members regularly prepare Points of Dispute or Replies thereto and conduct detailed assessments before Regional Costs Judges and Masters of the SCCO.
Individual members of Ropewalk Chambers have acted in the costs aspects of a range of group actions including KR –v- Bryn Alyn, the Pleural Plaques Litigation and the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Deafness Litigation.
We frequently act on behalf of both Claimants and Defendants under solicitors’ and costs organisations’ instruction in respect of costs issues and proceedings in all types of litigation, ranging from personal injury to, increasingly, commercial litigation.
Useful Articles:
The Review of Civil Litigation Costs - Review or Revolution by Andrew Hogan
