Costs Law & Practice 2025: Shaping New Developments into Solution-Focused Answers for Your Clients

Programme

1. 09:30

   Registration and coffee

2. 10:00

   Chair's Introduction

   Costs law & practice 2025: Shaping new developments into solution-focused answers for your clients

   Chaired by Master Colin Campbell

   Colin sits as a Deputy Costs Judge at the SCCO. He sat as a Costs Judge from 1996 to 2015 and served as a costs officer of the UKSC and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

3. 10:10

   Costs Budgeting Strategy

   What counts and what will sway the court when you are seeking or resisting a budget variation supported by practical examples of "significant developments" in borderline cases?

   Answered by Alex Hutton KC

   Alex has a "phenomenal command of costs law and matches it with the sharpest intellect around." He chaired the Hutton Committee on the E-Bill and acted in Barts Health v Salmon.

4. 10:45

   Finding Part 36 Angles

   How far can you push the court on Part 36 offers and their consequences for costs, including 90/10 offers, adequate reasons, suspension of interest, and out-of-time offers?

   Answered by PJ Kirby KC

   PJ is “incredibly clued up, owns the room, takes control and provides comfort and confidence to the client." He sits as a deputy district judge and acted in Belsner v Cam Legal Services.

5. 11:20

   Morning Coffee

6. 11:35

   Solicitor-Client Dispute Insights

   How has Oakwood v Menzies (2024) changed existing thinking on solicitor-client costs disputes, and does it signal an important shift in market practice?

   Answered by Roger Mallalieu KC

   Roger is “quite simply, the go-to silk for costs litigation.” He acted in the Oakwood v Menzies litigation and is co-author of the White Book supplement on Costs and Funding.

7. 12:10

   Conduct in Proceedings

   What is the latest judicial thinking on unreasonable conduct in costs proceedings, including CPR 47.20(3) and CPR 44.11, and what is the impact on client advice?

   Answered by Master Jason Rowley

   Jason is a Costs Judge at the Senior Courts Costs Office. He is co-author of 'Cook on Costs.'

8. 12:45

   Overrun

9. 13:00

   Lunch

10. 13:45

    Fixed Costs Insights

    What are the real-world implications of the fixed costs regime, including banding (or re-banding) within the fast track and intermediate tracks, and the operation of the new assessment provisions?

    Answered by David Marshall of Anthony Gold

    David is Chair of the Law Society’s Civil Justice Committee and a member of the CJC's Costs & Funding sub-committee. He advised on the Review of Fixed Recoverable Costs.

11. 14:20

    Interim payments

    How do you manage—and overcome—difficulties with interim payments on account of costs, including timing (before or after PODs), strategy, and knowing when enough is enough?

    Answered by Nicola Greaney KC

    Nicola is "incredibly astute and quickly gets to the crux of the most complicated costs matters." She represented HMRC over after-the-event premiums recoverability.

12. 14:55

    Reasonableness & Proportionality

    In light of recent cases, how can you effectively challenge the reasonableness and proportionality of claimants' costs and secure a successful outcome for your clients?

    Answered by Judith Ayling KC

    Judith is "one of the best-known names for costs - ridiculously clever - an outstanding performer and advocate." She appeared in UK Trucks Claim v Fiat Chrysler Automobile.

13. 15:30

    Over-run

14. 16:00

    Close of conference