Work is in progress to reform costs budgeting and guideline hourly rates for barristers, aligning with the Civil Justice Council’s 2023 review.
- Lord Justice Birss, Deputy Head of Civil Justice, has highlighted a potential shift towards a ‘costs budgeting-lite’ system.
- Discussions at the ACL Roundtable focused on proportionality in legal costs and artificial intelligence’s role in cost management.
- Yorkshire lawyers could benefit from streamlined processes, improving efficiency in civil cases, especially in county courts.
- The extension of guideline hourly rates to barristers could enhance cost predictability for solicitors and clients alike.
Lord Justice Birss announced significant developments in the realm of legal cost management, pointing towards the potential adoption of a ‘costs budgeting-lite’ approach. This initiative forms a part of the Civil Justice Council’s comprehensive 2023 review, aiming to modernise and simplify the complex cost budgeting process currently in place.
During a roundtable hosted by the Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL), attended by numerous experts from the costs sector, Lord Justice Birss elaborated on the ongoing challenges related to the proportionality of legal costs. A key focal point was the exploration of artificial intelligence’s potential to aid in efficient costs management. The discussions were insightful, particularly on the utilisation of AI to expedite the drafting of bills, albeit acknowledging the irreplaceable value of human expertise in managing intricate tasks.
In a statement, Jack Ridgway, Chair of the ACL, noted a growing judicial inclination towards permitting parties to exchange budgets and have cost experts reach consensual agreements. This evolution has effectively expedited the budgeting process, particularly in certain court jurisdictions, marking a pivotal transition towards efficiency.
The introduction of a ‘costs budgeting-lite’ framework is anticipated to considerably benefit the legal fraternity in Yorkshire. By simplifying the procedure, it promises to alleviate the burden of preparing exhaustive costs budgets, thereby facilitating more streamlined case management. This, in turn, could expedite the resolution of cost-related disputes, ultimately conserving time for legal practitioners and their clientele.
Importantly, the potential extension of guideline hourly rates (GHR) to encompass barristers could bring about enhanced transparency and predictability concerning legal fees. For solicitors, especially those operating within stringent budgetary frameworks, this predictability can translate into better client advisory services, aiding in more informed decision-making about engaging barristers.
As the UK legal sector anticipates these transformative reforms, adaptation to new practices will be essential.
