Strategic legal costs representation with 30+ years' combined experience
Specialists in paying party costs, Points of Dispute, detailed assessment and complex legal costs litigation
SPH Costs - Legal Costs Lawyers & Law Costs Draftsmen
We also advise on legally aided costs (CCMS), Court of Protection matters and high-value multi-track bills.
Careers at SPH Costs
Updated 6 March 2026
SPH Costs is a specialist legal costs practice offering career opportunities for costs lawyers, law costs draftsmen and legal costs professionals at all stages of their careers across England & Wales.
Our team works across a wide range of costs regimes including detailed assessment proceedings, preparation and response to Points of Dispute, paying and receiving party disputes, legally aided CCMS matters, Court of Protection costs and high-value multi-track bills. This provides exposure to complex and technical costs work across multiple areas of specialist practice.
We welcome applications from experienced costs lawyers, law costs draftsmen, Legal Aid costs specialists, Court of Protection costs professionals and junior candidates seeking to develop a career in legal costs. Our work spans both paying and receiving party matters, together with specialist costs regimes such as Legal Aid and Court of Protection
Why Join SPH Costs
• Specialist practice focused exclusively on legal costs
• Exposure to complex inter partes disputes and specialist costs regimes
• Opportunities to develop expertise in detailed assessment, Legal Aid and Court of Protection costs
• Remote-first working with secure electronic files
• Direct supervision and mentoring from experienced costs lawyers
Current Opportunities
Senior Costs Lawyer – Remote
We are currently seeking a Senior Costs Lawyer with experience in detailed assessment, preparation and response to Points of Dispute and strategic costs advisory work. The role involves managing complex inter partes matters for both paying and receiving parties, with opportunities for advocacy in detailed assessment hearings.
Costs Draftsmen and Legal Costs Professionals
We are also interested in hearing from law costs draftsmen, Legal Aid costs specialists and Court of Protection costs professionals with experience in drafting bills, Points of Dispute, Replies or preparing Legal Aid and CCMS costs claims.
Candidates may have experience in paying party or receiving party work, or specialist regimes such as Legal Aid or Court of Protection costs.
Trainee and Junior Opportunities
We welcome enquiries from junior costs draftsmen, trainee costs professionals and candidates seeking to begin a career in legal costs. Successful candidates will gain experience in:
• drafting Bills of Costs and schedules
• preparing Points of Dispute and Replies
• detailed assessment procedure
• Legal Aid CCMS billing and costs recovery
• Court of Protection costs work
Legal costs is a highly specialised discipline and we provide mentoring and exposure to a broad range of matters to support professional development.
Training and Development
SPH Costs supports ongoing professional development, including advocacy experience, drafting Points of Dispute, costs budgeting and strategic advisory work across a wide range of matters.
Our work across civil litigation costs, Legal Aid costs and Court of Protection costs allows team members to develop expertise across multiple specialist regimes.
Working Arrangements
All work is conducted using secure electronic files, allowing flexible and remote working while maintaining consistent technical supervision and collaboration across the team.
What Is a Career in Legal Costs?
Legal costs is a specialist area of legal practice focused on the assessment, recovery and dispute of litigation costs. Costs lawyers and law costs draftsmen advise solicitors on how legal costs should be prepared, challenged and assessed under the Civil Procedure Rules.
A career in legal costs can involve work such as:
• preparing Bills of Costs following litigation
• drafting Points of Dispute and Replies in detailed assessment proceedings
• advising solicitors on recoverability and proportionality
• preparing Legal Aid costs claims through CCMS
• drafting Court of Protection bills and assisting with SCCO assessment
Many costs professionals begin their careers as trainee costs draftsmen or junior costs lawyers, developing specialist expertise over time through practical experience and mentoring.
Legal costs is a highly technical area of practice and offers opportunities to develop expertise in litigation costs disputes, advocacy at detailed assessment hearings and specialist costs regimes.
Who Typically Enters This Career?
Candidates entering the legal costs profession often come from backgrounds such as:7
• litigation paralegals
• legal assistants working in civil litigation
• law graduates seeking specialist practice areas
• experienced law costs draftsmen seeking to specialise further
• legal aid costs professionals
How to Apply
To apply, please send a CV and covering email outlining your experience in legal costs work. All applications are handled confidentially.