Costs Lawyers &
Law Costs Draftsmen
Across England & Wales
We act for solicitors, insurers, local authorities, housing associations and Legal Aid firms nationwide to reduce inflated bills, maximise recovery and resolve complex costs disputes.
Need urgent Points of Dispute, a Bill of Costs or help with a Legal Aid CCMS or HCCP claim? Speak directly with a specialist today.
Legal Aid Costs Draftsman Services
SPH Costs provides specialist Legal Aid Costs Draftsman services to solicitors and law firms throughout England & Wales. Our experienced Costs Lawyers and Legal Aid Costs Draftsmen help firms maximise lawful costs recovery whilst reducing the administrative burden associated with Legal Aid billing. Modern Legal Aid costs recovery involves far more than preparing a Bill of Costs. Successful recovery requires detailed knowledge of the Legal Aid Agency, the Client and Cost Management System (CCMS), High Cost Case Plans, Escape Fee claims, Court of Protection costs and the practical issues that arise throughout the assessment process. Whether you require assistance with a single CCMS claim or ongoing outsourced Legal Aid costs support, we provide practical, recovery-focused advice from initial claim preparation through to assessment, payment and post-assessment queries.
CCMS Billing Specialists - Civil Costs
The Client and Cost Management System (CCMS) has transformed Legal Aid billing but has also created significant administrative challenges for many firms. SPH Costs regularly assists solicitors with every stage of the CCMS billing process. We can assist with:
• Preparation of CCMS claims
• Review of draft claims
• Costsmaster electronic Bills
• XML-based workflows where appropriate
• Amendments to existing claims
• Rejected claims
• Returned claims
• Clarification requests
• Payment delays
• Legal Aid Agency queries
• Post-assessment issues
Our objective is not simply to prepare a claim but to ensure that claims are presented clearly, accurately and strategically to reduce avoidable queries and improve recovery. If your firm has received a rejected claim or Legal Aid Agency query, our specialist team can advise on the most effective way to progress the matter. We do not deal with Criminal Costs.
Specialist Legal Aid Costs Draftsmen & Costs Lawyers
Our Legal Aid team supports solicitors undertaking publicly funded work across England & Wales.
We regularly assist firms acting in:
• Housing Law
• Family Law
• Court of Protection
• Community Care
• Judicial Review
• Public Law
• Mental Health
• Civil Litigation
From sole practitioners through to large national Legal Aid providers, we provide specialist support tailored to each firm's requirements.
Outsourced Legal Aid Costs Services
Many firms no longer maintain an in-house Legal Aid costs department. Instead, they choose to outsource Legal Aid costs recovery to experienced specialists who deal with the preparation, management and progression of claims on a daily basis. SPH Costs acts as an extension of your practice, providing specialist Legal Aid costs support whenever required. We regularly assist with:
• CCMS billing
• Bills of Costs
• High Cost Case Plans (HCCPs)
• Escape Fee claims
• Court of Protection Bills
• Prior Authority issues
• Legal Aid Agency queries
• Reassessments
• Costs recovery strategy
Whether instructed on individual matters or as part of an ongoing relationship, we provide practical support designed to maximise recovery and reduce unnecessary delays.
Costsmaster & Electronic Billing
SPH Costs prepares electronic Legal Aid Bills using Costsmaster software. Where appropriate, we work with Costsmaster data and XML exports to streamline preparation, reduce unnecessary manual input and improve the efficiency of the billing process. Secure electronic workflows allow us to support solicitors throughout England & Wales without the need for physical files.
High Costs Case Plans (HCCPs)
High Cost Case Plans frequently determine the level of Legal Aid funding available throughout the life of a case. We regularly assist firms with:
• Drafting new HCCPs
• Revising existing Case Plans
• Supporting assumptions
• Anticipated case progression
• Expert evidence
• Amendments following developments
• Responding to Legal Aid Agency queries
• Aligning HCCPs with future costs recovery
Carefully prepared High Cost Case Plans help minimise funding difficulties later in the case whilst supporting future recovery. For more information, visit our High Cost Case Plans page.
Escape Fee Claims
Escape Fee claims frequently attract detailed scrutiny from the Legal Aid Agency. Our Legal Aid Costs Draftsmen regularly assist firms with:
• Eligibility assessments
• Claim preparation
• Supporting evidence
• Rejected claims
• Assessment disputes
• Reassessments
• Recovery strategy
Early specialist advice often improves recovery whilst reducing unnecessary correspondence with the Legal Aid Agency.
Legal Aid Bills of Costs
Accurate and carefully prepared Bills remain fundamental to successful Legal Aid costs recovery. We regularly prepare:
• Controlled Work claims
• Licensed Work Bills• Hourly Rate claims
• Exceptional Case claims
• Court of Protection Bills
• Inter Partes Bills arising from publicly funded matters
Every Bill is prepared with assessment strategy in mind, helping firms maximise lawful recovery whilst reducing avoidable assessment issues.
Responding to Legal Aid Agency Queries
Preparing the claim is often only the first stage of the recovery process. Many firms instruct SPH Costs after the Legal Aid Agency has:
• Rejected a claim
• Requested clarification
• Reduced recoverable costs
• Raised Prior Authority issues
• Challenged an Escape Fee claim
• Requested amendments
We regularly assist firms in resolving these issues quickly and efficiently, helping progress claims towards payment.
Why Firms Outsource their Legal Costs
Outsourcing Legal Aid costs recovery enables firms to benefit from specialist expertise without maintaining an internal costs department. Solicitors instruct SPH Costs because we provide:
• Specialist Legal Aid Costs Draftsmen
• Regulated Costs Lawyers
• Extensive CCMS experience
• High Cost Case Plan expertise
• CostsMaster workflows
• Secure electronic working
• Nationwide support
• Practical Legal Aid Agency experience
• Recovery-focused commercial advice
Our objective is to maximise lawful recovery whilst allowing fee earners to concentrate on client work rather than complex costs administration.
Why Instruct SPH Costing Services?
Unlike many costs providers, SPH Costs combines experienced Legal Aid Costs Draftsmen with regulated Costs Lawyers. Where appropriate, our Costs Lawyers can go on the court record and conduct costs proceedings on behalf of instructing solicitors. This provides continuity throughout the costs recovery process, reduces the administrative burden on your legal team and gives clients access to specialist legal costs expertise from initial instruction through to final recovery. Our team acts for solicitors throughout England & Wales and has extensive experience supporting firms undertaking publicly funded work across a wide range of practice areas.
Frequently asked Questions
Can you prepare CCMS Bills?
Yes. We regularly prepare CCMS claims for solicitors undertaking publicly funded civil work and can assist with both routine and complex claims.
Can you deal with rejected CCMS claims?
Yes. We frequently assist firms where claims have been rejected, returned or queried by the Legal Aid Agency.
Can you deal with High Costs Case Plans (HCCPs)
Yes. We draft new HCCPs, revise existing plans and advise on amendments as cases develop.
Can you prepare Escape Fee claims?
Yes. We advise on eligibility, prepare claims, assist with supporting evidence and deal with reassessment where required.
Do you only work for large firms?
No. We act for sole practitioners, specialist Legal Aid firms, regional practices and national organisations throughout England & Wales.
Related Legal Aid Services
For further guidance, you may also find these resources helpful:
• Legal Aid Costs Draftsman
• High Cost Case Plans (HCCPs)
• CCMS Claim Rejected – What Happens Next?
• Escape Fee Claim Rejected – What Happens Next?
• Prior Authority Not Obtained – Can Fees Still Be Recovered?
• Common Costs Problems
Ready to Send Us a Legal Aid File?
To get started, we will usually need your file of papers, including relevant correspondence, file notes and attendance notes, together with invoices, the time-recording ledger, details of Counsel instructed, the disbursement ledger and the Court bundle.
Once we have the file, our Legal Aid costs team can review the matter and progress the costs work required.
Telephone: 01772 435550
Email: egb@sphcosts.com
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