Legal costs have never been an exact science and, so far, Aestima has identified the following problems with so called “touch of a button” costing. There currently is a sense of panic and trepidation with regard to the new format bill of costs to be introduced in the future. When reading into the material produced to date, it states the work undertaken from 1st October 2017 should be produced in the new Excel format. The pilot scheme, due to end September 2017, does not currently cater for all types of costs orders and anomalies which may arise and clearly there may be revisions following the ‘testing phase’. Indeed a review of the pilot scheme is due to take place in May 2017 and so clearly, there may be changes to the proposed format of the bill of costs.

Panic buying of new electronic systems may prove to be unnecessarily expensive if alterations are subsequently made. We can help medium and smaller law firms who want to avoid expending large sums of money introducing new electronic systems, with the associated costs of protecting your system from viruses and corruption along with the salary of a clerk to attend to the time recording.

The electronic system is only as good as the time recorded. No longer will there be the comfort that all time spent and noted on contemporaneous attendance notes is recorded and therefore claimed. For those with a large case load, and therefore with limited time to record time spent, they will no longer be able to rely on the Law Costs Consultant’s experience and expertise in identifying missing time and include the same in the inter partes claim.

Let us work alongside you during these difficult and unsettling times, save you costs and keep you secure in the knowledge all of your costs are claimed. If you are troubled by the new format bill of costs and how your practice will cope, please email Jill Paveley or call on 01268 572320 to discuss how we can work together and ensure we provide the support service required.

Let’s speak the same language!