39 Essex Chambers strengthened its position as one of the leading sets for costs law with its recruitment of renowned costs litigation silk Simon Browne KC in December 2021. His is a name associated with the most high-profile contentious cost cases of the past ten years and his addition bolsters a set that already had a notable forte in cost aspects of group litigation, an area of increasing popularity in the legal market. Vikram Sachdeva KC is another costs silk at chambers and has expertise in commercial costs, disciplinary costs, and costs in public law. He acted for the claimant in R (Raqeeb) v Barts Health NHS Trust, a follow-on from the high-profile litigation concerning the continued provision of care to a brain-damaged child, dealing with the question as to whether common costs can be recovered for a judicial review (for which there is a costs order) where a best interests case was being run concurrently. Shaman Kapoor recently acted for the claimant in in Patel v Karmakar, a dispute between solicitors concerning repayment of an outstanding loan which was advanced against work in progress. The case represents an important development of principle in the law on solicitors acting in their own cases and the rate of recovery for their work. Nicola Greaney KC focuses her costs work within her areas of strength: professional discipline and court of protection, clinical negligence and personal injury.

An ‘excellent set with a speciality in costs‘, 4 New Square is ‘a collection of barristers operating in the modern era‘ that are frequently seen in Supreme Court and Court of Appeal costs cases, with representation from silk to junior level. October 2021 saw the conclusion of Ho v Adelekun, the leading Supreme Court appeal case on the question of qualified one-way costs shifting and set-off of costs. The set had representation on both sides, including renowned costs silk Nicholas Bacon KC for Ho, and Roger Mallalieu KC acting for the successful appellant. Benjamin Williams KC also acted in that appeal for the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, and in another appeal heard in October 2021, represented the former in GEHC v Rosenblatt, the longest ever costs trial relating to alleged misconduct by a commercial firm of solicitors. In another long-running costs assessment Vik v Deutsche Bank, Pippa Manby led by Bacon KC, was on the opposing side to Williams; her busy costs practice has her instructed in inter partes disputes and solicitor-client disputes in the County Courts, High Court and Senior Courts Costs Office. Daniel Saoul KC has a strong costs litigation practice and particular experience offshore, while Robert Marven KC is often brought into major group and commercial litigation on specific costs issues. Matthew Waszak joined the set from Temple Garden Chambers in March 2022 and adds to an impressive crop of juniors that includes regular sole costs counsel George McDonald, and Shail Patel, whose established commercial practice means he can advise on costs issues and take the lead in costs arguments as part of substantial commercial cases.

Hailsham Chambers is a key set for costs matters, its group of barristers at the forefront of developments in the law and practice in this area. Members have been involved in important costs decisions at the Court of Appeal, one highlight being 2020 silk Jamie Carpenter KC acting for the latter party in Langer v McKeown, in which the Court of Appeal considered for the first time whether, at the conclusion of a trial of preliminary issues, a Calderbank offer which relates to the entire claim should be treated in the same way as a Part 36 offer. High-value solicitor client disputes have also been a feature highlight at chambers with Carpenter on the opposite side to experienced costs silk Alexander Hutton KC in Privinvest v Quinn Emanuel, Hutton acting for the former, in its application for detailed assessment for £14m of costs, which was settled in November 2021. Andrew Post KC practices in costs and criminal negligence, often acting where points of principle arise in large scale litigation, and on appeals where there are issues of wider significance. A particularly strong crop of juniors includes non-contentious costs specialist Mark Friston; senior junior Dan Stacey; Joshua Munro, who has experience in costs disputes at the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court; and Imran Benson, who was appointed a Deputy Costs Judge at the Senior Courts Costs Office in August 2021.

With ‘a good selection of counsel available at all levels‘, Gatehouse Chambers has in recent years developed a small but strong costs litigation offering. Standout silk PJ Kirby KC led Robin Dunne in Belsner v CAM Legal Services, acting for the former party in what is an important test case concerning the provisions of s.74(3) of the Solicitors Act and was seen at the Court of Appeal in February 2022. Martyn Griffiths regularly appears at the Senior Courts Costs Office and the County Courts on detailed assessments as well as interim applications in costs proceedings. Alaric Watson is one to watch in the costs arena as his insolvency practice has leaned heavily into costs work recently.

A longstanding figure in costs law, Temple Garden Chambers fields a team that is sought after for advisory work by solicitors, litigation funders and insurers. Members regularly assist with a broad range of both litigation funding issues and points of costs law arising in litigation. Senior junior Mark James has acted in some of the leading cases on champerty, solicitors’ retainers and other solicitor-client disputes, and fellow experienced costs expert James Laughland has advised on the recent leading cases concerning the assessment and recoverability of additional liabilities.