FAQ

Costs Budgeting & Inter-Partes Costs

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1. What information do you need to prepare a Costs Budget (Precedent H)?

We typically require:

• The current case plan / procedural history

• Statements of case, disclosure lists, expert reports, medical evidence

• Court orders and directions

• Fee notes or WIP summaries

• Anticipated future work and disbursements
  If anything is missing, we will advise promptly.

 

2. Can you review or amend an existing Precedent H or Precedent R?

Yes. We frequently review costs budgets prior to CCMCs, prepare Precedent Rs for negotiation, and amend budgets following variation or new evidence. We also provide strategic advice to maximise recoverability.

 

3. Do you attend CCMCs or costs hearings?

Yes. Our Costs Lawyers can attend CCMCs, Detailed Assessments, and interim hearings. We also provide advocacy for arguments on proportionality, hourly rates, and budget revisions.

 

4. How do you approach Points of Dispute or Replies?

We apply a detailed, line-by-line analysis of the bill, referencing case law, proportionality principles, and relevant CPR provisions. Replies are drafted strategically to support settlement or prepare for assessment.

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Court of Protection (COP) Costs

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5. Do you deal with Court of Protections matters and what documents do you require?

We usually require:

• Yes, we prepare Court of Protection bills and General Management Costs claims for Deputies and solicitors,

• Full attendance notes

• Timesheets or WIP reports

• OPG105 / OPG102 documents

• Disbursement invoices (counsel, experts, etc.)

• Final account / annual Deputy report

• We can also work directly with case handlers to extract information from your CMS.

 

6. Do you submit COP Bills electronically?

Yes. We submit all COP Bills via e-filing, in line with the mandatory electronic submission rules. We prepare COP E-bills fully compliant with HMCTS requirements.

 

7. Can you assist with objections in COP matters?

Yes. We handle matters with the SCCO, respond to queries, prepare submissions, and assist in recovering maximised costs on behalf of professional Deputies.

 

Legal Aid & CCMS

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8. Do you deal with Legal Aid Work?

 

Yes, we provide legal aid costs drafting aid assessment support including:

• Preparing CCMS Claims and Amendments

• Allocating Counsels Fees

• Uploading supporting evidence

• Responding to LAA queries

• Challenging reductions or refusals

• Advising on Escape Fee calculations
  Our service is designed to be fully end-to-end so fee-earners do not need to spend time on CCMS admin.  Our work includes specialist legal aid costs drafting, including CCMS claims, high cost case plans and assessment challenges.

 

9. Can you prepare High Cost Case Plans (HCCPs)?

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Yes. We handle all types of HCCPs including:

• Hourly rate HCCPs

• Events HCCPs

• We ensure plans comply with LAA guidance, include clear narratives, accurate cost projections, and full supporting documentation.

 

10. What causes delays in Legal Aid cost submissions?

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Common issues include:

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• Missing attendance notes

• Incorrectly categorised time or disbursements

• Insufficient evidence to justify enhancements

• Incorrect rates or escape calculations
  We help identify and correct these early to avoid delays and maximise recovery.

 

11. Can you challenge a Legal Aid assessment or reduction?

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Yes. We prepare Appeals or Reconsiderations, draft representations, submit further evidence, and challenge incorrect reductions. We have extensive experience dealing with the LAA on disputed matters.

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Housing Disrepair & Civil Costs

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12. Do you draft Bills and Budgets for Housing Disrepair claims?

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Yes. We regularly prepare HDR Bills, Precedent H budgets, and Part 8 costs applications. We understand the unique claim structure, typical expert evidence, and common defendant arguments in this area.

 

13. Can you negotiate HDR costs with housing associations or local authorities?

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Yes. We regularly act in paying party costs disputes involving local authorities , as well as for receiving parties seeking to recover costs.

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Billing, Turnaround & Workflow

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14. What is your typical turnaround time for complex cases?

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• Standard Bills / Budgets: 5–10 working days

• COP Bills: 10–15 working days

• HCCPs: 7–14 working days
  Urgent instructions can be accommodated where required.

 

15. Can you work directly with our case management system?

Yes. We are familiar with systems such as:

• Leap

• Proclaim

• Osprey

• OMS
  We can extract file histories, WIP, and narratives as needed.

 

16. Do you offer a free collection service for large files or paper bundles?

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Yes. We offer free nationwide collection via secure courier for large or urgent bundles.

 

17. How do you ensure costs are maximised?

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We focus on:

• Accuracy and compliance with CPR and LAA requirements

• Clear, persuasive narratives

• Proper disbursement justification

• Use of correct hourly rates and grade allocations

• Proactive negotiation strategies

• Early identification of potential challenges

 

18. Can you provide ongoing costs training to our team?

Yes. We deliver training on:

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• Precedent H budgeting

• CCMS best practices

• COP costs

• File management for maximum recovery
  Training is tailored to your team’s experience level.​

 

Security & Compliance

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19. Are my files kept confidential and secure?

Yes. All files are stored securely, encrypted, and handled under strict data protection policies. Our upload portal uses secure transfer protocols, and access is restricted to authorised personnel.

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20. Do you handle GDPR-sensitive materials?

Yes. We regularly work with sensitive case data including health, family, and criminal matters. Our processes are fully GDPR-compliant.

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Instructing us

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21. When should a solicitor instruct paying party costs lawyers?

Solicitors often instruct paying party costs lawyers when a bill of costs has been served and detailed assessment is anticipated, particularly where proportionality, hourly rates and delegation are likely to be challenged.

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22. What are points of dispute in detailed assessment?

Points of dispute for paying parties are the formal response to a bill of costs and set out challenges to recoverability, proportionality, hourly rates and the scope of work claimed.

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23. Do you assist with legal aid costs drafting and CCMS billing?

We provide specialist support with legal aid costs drafting and CCMS billing, including preparation of claims, escape fee calculations and responses to Legal Aid Agency queries.

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24. Do you prepare High Cost Case Plans?

We assist with Legal Aid High Cost Case Plans (HCCP), including preparation, review and ongoing cost monitoring throughout the life of the case.

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