Reminder to CPD trainers to register for ACL initiative
Costs Lawyers who have current accreditation as trainers are reminded to register their interest in providing CPD to other members as the ACL looks to help the profession complete their CPD in the absence of a physical conference this year.
As members were told last month, it is proposed that those interested would later submit proposed materials for sense-checking and ACL branding. Technical assistance will be given if required.
It is further proposed that, to assist colleagues in this time of crisis, this year’s CPD will be delivered at no charge; trainers will be able to obtain their own CPD for delivery and will subsequently form a register of providers “for potentially remunerated work for the extended CPD programme the ACL is aiming to deliver moving forward”.
There will be a charge by the ACL to delegates to cover administration costs.
ACL chair Claire Green said: “We believe that this is an ideal opportunity for members with training accreditation to obtain CPD as required, to heighten their profile within the profession, register for a possible financial incentive in the very near future, to gain valuable remote training experience and, of course, to help out the profession in a time of crisis.”
To register, email Diane Pattenden at enquiries@costslawyer.co.uk.
SRA criticised over costs schedule
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has criticised the schedule of costs filed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in a case as being “of very little use” because it did not say what hourly rate was used by the different levels of fee-earners, contained no specific detail of the work done and did not explain why there was so much partner involvement “for such a straightforward case”.
“This was a point that has been made in numerous previous cases,” the tribunal observed.
It slashed the SRA’s claim for £22,500 in costs to £8,000. The SRA said it was “a coincidence” that the £18,500 of fees claimed for its external solicitors, Capsticks, came out at exactly the same figure as the fixed fee the pair had agreed.
Call for help with pro bono costs orders
Costs Lawyers who have been involved in cases involving pro bono costs orders have been asked to help with research being carried out into how the number of applications and orders can be increased.
Cambridge University’s Pro-Bono Project is working with the Access to Justice Foundation on the research and has put together a short survey for practitioners to complete. All responses will be treated anonymously.
Barristers put out costs podcasts
The costs team at 39 Essex has put out a mini-series of short podcasts on commercial and construction costs, introduced by former Senior Costs Judge Peter Hurst. The series covers the divide between incurred and budgeted costs, good reasons to depart from a budget, costs against non-parties and indemnity costs.