The Association of Costs Lawyers is the representative body for Costs Lawyers. To join as a full member you must be a qualified Costs Lawyer.
Dive into the rich heritage and pivotal offerings of the Association of Costs Lawyers, a beacon for professionals specialising in legal costs.
To join the ACL as a full Costs Lawyer member, you must be a qualified Costs Lawyer. In addition to Costs Lawyer, the ACL offers Fellow Costs Lawyer, Trainee, Costs Paralegal, Affiliate, Retired and Honorary memberships tailored to various stages and affiliations within the legal costs industry.
The ACL Members Code of Conduct can be accessed here.
Please apply below.
Founded in 1977 (as the Association of Law Costs Draftsmen) to promote the stature and interests of its members. The ACL pioneered professional development and its work was central to the elevation of law costs draftsmen to the status of qualified lawyers. Qualified, regulated law costs draftsmen are now given the title Costs Lawyer.
Costs Lawyers are specialised, qualified, and regulated legal professionals who specialise in the law and practice of legal costs. Their expertise is invaluable not only to law firms but also businesses and individuals. Distinguishing themselves from Solicitors, Barristers, or Legal Executives, Costs Lawyers provide specialised insights and services in their domain.
To qualify as a Costs Lawyer, trainees must complete the Costs Lawyer Professional Qualification and a period of Qualifying Experience in costs law and practice over two years. ACL Training, the training arm of ACL, is currently the sole CLSB-accredited study provider - full course details can be found here.
Stay informed with the latest profession news, opinion and features for only £145 a year
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The ACL eBulletin is sent out on a weekly basis to our members and subscribers offering a great advertising opportunity. Your advert will link directly through to your website.
Fees: 1 week – £130
£80 per week for subsequent, consecutive weeks thereafter.
For more information, please contact admin@costslawyer.co.uk
Discounted rates for ACL annual conferences, seminars and events
Member only Special Interest & private LinkedIn Groups in Legal Aid, Court of Protection, Commercial Costs, Solicitor/Client Costs for industry specialism discussions and knowledge sharing.
Advance notice of free regional meetings providing CPD, discussion and debate on relevant topics and cases. Meetings held in London, Bristol, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle.
Representation to the wider legal marketplace through maintaining strong links with the Legal Services Board, other representative legal bodies and the Access to Justice Foundation.
Subscription to the weekly Costs Lawyer e-bulletin for up-to-date profession news, opinion and ACL notices
Inclusion in formal responses to consultations, recent consultations have included: Fixed Recoverable Costs Extension, Proposed changes to CoP E-Bill of Costs and the CJC Costs Working Group.
Access/Discounts for Costs Law Reports, Croner HR, Totum Pro
Entry into online Find a Cost Lawyer directory – update your details via the members portal
Use of the Association of Costs Lawyers Logo
Embark on a transformative path with the Association of Costs Lawyers by filling out the application below, and step closer to the forefront of legal cost expertise.
Association of Costs Lawyers, Inspire House, 1 Vinces Road, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4HQ
All qualified and regulated Costs Lawyers are eligible for Fellow membership once they have held a practicing certificate for a period of not less than eight years & have been a member of the Association of Costs Lawyers for a period of five years and will benefit from the following:
A Fellow Cost Lawyer member is entitled to notice of, and to attend, general meetings and is entitled to vote or to be elected as an officer or council member of the Association.
They may use the nomenclature Fellow of the Association of Costs Lawyers or Fellow Costs Lawyer and be entitled to use the Association’s Fellow Costs Lawyer logo.
The rate for Fellow Cost Lawyer membership is £350 per annum.
Costs Paralegal membership is available to costs professionals who are supervised by a Member who is a Costs Lawyer or Fellow Costs Lawyer and will benefit from the following:
A Costs Paralegal member is not entitled to notice of, or to attend, general meetings and is not entitled to vote or to be elected as an officer or council member of the Association.
They may use the nomenclature Costs Paralegal but not Costs Lawyer and not be entitled to use the Association’s Costs Lawyer logo.
The rate for Cost Paralegal membership is £125 per annum.
The Council may at its discretion appoint Honorary members of the Association for such period as the Council may determine. Honorary members will benefit from the following:
An Honorary member is entitled to notice of, and to attend, general meetings, but is not entitled to vote or to be elected as an officer or Council member of the Association.
They may not use any nomenclature to indicate that they are a member of the Association, but can use the Association’s Logo if they wish.
A member of the Association who no longer practices in the field of legal costs, who does not exercise a Right of Audience or a Right to Conduct Costs Litigation and who is a member at the date of retirement shall be entitled to be a retired member of the Association. Retired members will benefit from the following:
A retired member is entitled to notice of, and to attend, general meetings, but is not entitled to vote, or to be elected as an officer or Council member of the Association.
They may not use any nomenclature to indicate that they are a member of the Association but can use the Association’s Logo if they wish.
The rate for retired membership is £50 per annum.
The Council may at its discretion admit as an Affiliate any person who is regulated by another authorised regulator as defined by the Legal Services Act 2007.
Affiliates will benefit from the following:
An Affiliate member is entitled to notice of, and to attend, general meetings and is entitled to vote but not to be elected as an officer or council member of the Association.
They may use the nomenclature “Affiliate of the Association of Costs Lawyers”, but not the nomenclature “Costs Lawyer”, and may not use the Association’s logo.
The rate for affiliate membership is £175 per annum.
All trainees working towards the ACLT’s Costs Lawyer Professional Qualification are granted complimentary Trainee membership of the ACL and will benefit from the following:
A trainee member is entitled to notice of, and to attend, general meetings, but is not entitled to vote or to be elected as an officer or Council member of the Association.
They may use the nomenclature Trainee Costs Lawyer but not the nomenclature Costs Lawyer and not be entitled to use the Association’s full logo but can use the Association’s Trainee Logo if they wish.
All qualified and regulated Costs Lawyers are eligible for full membership of the ACL and will benefit from the following:
A Cost Lawyer member is entitled to notice of, and to attend, general meetings and is entitled to vote or to be elected as an officer or council member of the Association.
They may use the nomenclature Costs Lawyer and be entitled to use the Association’s Costs Lawyer logo.
The rate for Cost Lawyer membership is £350 per annum.
