Costs Budgets
The vast experience of our law costs consultants ensures that accurate, precise budgets and submissions are prepared. Their familiarity with court processes enables them to supply the opposition with documents that are difficult to challenge, thanks to both their careful preparation and realistic approach. The continuity of working with the same law costs consultant throughout brings speed and precision to the process.
Preparing Budgets
At Aestima we assist instructing solicitors in the preparation of accurate and well-documented budgets. We provide precise costings and realistic estimates and our experience ensures that the budget we prepare is difficult to challenge, both by the opposing party and the court.
If instructions are urgently received, our law costs consultants are able to visit clients’ offices to complete the budget, enabling a collaborative approach and a swift turnaround. Working quickly with meticulous attention to detail, our budgets remain precise throughout.
Preparing submissions on opponents budgets
Aestima has both the knowledge and experience to effectively assess an opponent’s budget and offer advice as to its reasonableness. We do this through a careful and thorough review.
The same law costs consultant who prepared your budget will provide the assessment, ensuring continuity throughout the case and the preparation of accurate and well-thought through submissions. Negotiations are a process that can be tedious and can be held on your behalf. By tackling these for our clients we allow them to utilise their time more effectively.
Advocacy at CCMC
Your law costs consultant can act as advocate upon costs budget issues at any Costs Case Management Conference (CCMC) on your behalf. The continuity of using the same law costs consultant avoids duplication and keeps fees to a minimum. If the hearing relates solely to the parties’ budgets, then they are also able to be there in your place.
Our law costs consultants are experienced advocates who are fully conversant with the courts approach and can respond appropriately. This experience gives added value when it comes to ensuring the best outcome for you and your client.
Hints & Tips
From 6 April 2016, new costs management rules came into force, which included revisions to the costs budget format as well as a new budget discussion report. The updated cost budget (Precedent H) is only required in cases where proceedings have been issued after 6 April 2016.
Costs budgets must now be filed and exchanged with Directions Questionnaires in cases valued under £50,000.00, or 21 days before the CMC if valued over £50,000.00. Once exchanged, all parties must file a new agreed budget discussion report (Precedent R) no later than 7 days before the CCMC (new CPR 3.13(2)).
The introduction of Precedent R (budget discussion report) came into effect from 6 April 2016. This documents the amounts claimed per phase, the sum offered by the other party, and whether the figure is agreed or not. It is an additional form for parties to complete, to assist them and the court in costs management discussions and at costs case management conferences.