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.
Legal Costs Drafting Services
Legal costs drafting is a specialist discipline within civil litigation involving the preparation, challenge and negotiation of legal costs following judgment or settlement. Solicitors across England & Wales frequently instruct specialist costs lawyers and law costs draftsmen to prepare bills of costs, draft Points of Dispute and Replies, advise on proportionality and recoverability, and assist with detailed assessment proceedings. At SPH Costs we provide comprehensive legal costs drafting services supporting solicitors, insurers and professional clients in all aspects of costs recovery and costs disputes governed by the Civil Procedure Rules.
Our work covers the full lifecycle of costs work, including preparation of detailed bills of costs, costs budgets, Points of Dispute, Replies and negotiation strategy. We act for both paying and receiving parties and regularly assist litigation teams in maximising recoverable costs or reducing exposure to excessive claims. For a detailed explanation of how costs are assessed by the court, see our Guide to Detailed Assessment of Costs.
Preparation of a compliant and well-structured bill of costs is fundamental to successful recovery. Bills must comply with the requirements of the Civil Procedure Rules and associated Practice Directions and present the work undertaken clearly and persuasively. Our team prepares detailed bills of costs for a wide range of litigation matters and ensures that the work undertaken, the grade of fee earner and the hourly rates claimed are supported by clear narrative explanations.
Proper drafting also anticipates the challenges that may be raised by the paying party during detailed assessment. A well-prepared bill reduces the scope for disputes and strengthens the receiving party’s position during negotiation or assessment.
Points of Dispute and Replies
In contested costs matters the paying party may challenge the bill through Points of Dispute, raising issues such as hourly rates, delegation, proportionality and duplication of work. Receiving parties respond through Replies explaining why the costs claimed are justified. These documents play a central role in shaping the issues to be determined during detailed assessment.
Our costs lawyers and law costs draftsmen prepare both Points of Dispute and Replies with a clear focus on the arguments most likely to influence the court’s approach to assessment. For further guidance see our article on How Paying Parties Challenge a Bill of Costs at Detailed Assessment.
Costs Budgeting and Precedent H
Costs budgeting under CPR Part 3 requires careful preparation of Precedent H budgets together with clear assumptions and explanations supporting the estimated costs of future phases of litigation. Courts scrutinise budgets closely and unrealistic or poorly explained budgets may lead to significant restrictions on recoverability.
We assist solicitors with preparation, review and negotiation of costs budgets, together with Precedent R budget discussions and advice on variation of approved budgets where significant developments arise.
Further guidance on this process can be found on our Costs Budgeting and Estimates page.
Paying Party and Receiving Party Costs Work
Our legal costs drafting services support both sides of a costs dispute. Paying parties instruct us to analyse bills of costs, identify excessive or disproportionate claims and prepare structured Points of Dispute designed to reduce exposure during detailed assessment. Receiving parties instruct us to prepare bills of costs and Replies designed to maximise recovery and defend the work undertaken in the litigation.
For more information see:
Legal Aid and Court of Protection Costs
Legal costs drafting also includes specialist regimes such as Legal Aid costs and Court of Protection costs. These areas involve distinct procedural frameworks and assessment processes. Our work includes preparation of Legal Aid claims through CCMS, High Cost Case Plans and responses to Legal Aid Agency assessments. We also assist professional deputies and solicitors with Court of Protection bills assessed by the Senior Courts Costs Office.
Further information can be found on our pages covering Legal Aid Costs Drafting and Court of Protection Costs.
Nationwide Costs Drafting Support
SPH Costs provides specialist costs lawyer and law costs draftsman services to solicitors across England & Wales. Modern costs work is largely document-based and files can be managed electronically, allowing us to provide efficient nationwide support without geographical limitation.
Our focus is always on procedural compliance, strategic clarity and presenting costs in a way that reflects both the Civil Procedure Rules and the approach taken by costs judges during detailed assessment.
Summary
Legal costs drafting plays a critical role in litigation after the substantive dispute has concluded. Whether preparing a bill of costs, challenging excessive claims or advising on strategy during detailed assessment, specialist costs drafting ensures that costs are presented and defended effectively within the procedural framework governing costs recovery in England & Wales.