LEGAL COSTS ACCOUNTANTS
Libra Legal Costs
Requirements to Draft
your Bill of Costs
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Brief outline of case
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Attendance of initial Instructions
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Attendance at Place of detention date
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Copy of Section 68 Letter.
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Copy of instructions to Counsel. (Letters or e-mails to counsel)
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Copy of pleadings (Inc. Motions)Art 40 Affidavit
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Submissions (if any)written
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Letters of Discovery.
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Attendances of Court & dates
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Copies of expert reports.(Medical etc)
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List of Case Law Authorities.
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Attendance of Consultations.
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Time sheets /Telephone memos
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All Correspondence received and dispatched.
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Your Bill of costs.
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Junior Counsel Fee Note (Inc. Vat)
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Senior Counsel Fee Note (Inc. Vat)
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All Expert's invoices retained
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All Orders of the Court to include orders reserving any costs
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Receipts for Travel, Accommodation, and Law Society expenses I.e. Photo Coping, Consultations Rooms etc.
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Copies of outlay Stamp Duty.
Party and Party Costs
Party and Party costs cover all costs, charges and expenses reasonably incurred by one party for the purposes of the relevant
proceedings which the other side is obliged to pay.
There may be costs in an action that are not allowable as Party and Party costs. The party claiming costs must justify why they were incurred and why those costs should be allowed. The Party and Party Costs may not cover the whole of the costs incurred in an action and the courts have held that:-
In costs between party and party one does not get full indemnity for costs incurred against the other. The principle to be considered in relation to party and party costs is that you are bound in the conduct of your case to have regard to the fact that your adversary may in the end have to pay your costs. You cannot indulge in a 'luxury of payment'.
All such costs, charges and expenses which appear to the Taxing Master to be necessary and proper in pursuit of the attainment of justice or for enforcing or defending the rights of a person are essentially allowable costs.
Solicitor and Client Costs
Solicitor and client costs are those costs that a client is obliged to pay his solicitor which are not recoverable under Party and Party costs.
The courts have held that the following distinction is made between Party and Party and Solicitor and Client costs in an action:-
"The costs of the Plaintiff as against the party do not mean all the costs he has incurred but all the costs he has incurred by the act of the defendant. That is the difference between party and party and solicitor and client costs - e.g.. it may be reasonable to have several consultations but it does not follow he is to get them all against the party."