Kings Chambers

Paul Hughes is a highly experienced costs practitioner with an ever-expanding range of expertise.

Whilst he maintains a busy and successful practice advising on the procedural law and the costs of high value clinical negligence and personal injury actions, including group litigation, he has considerable experience of advising on (and mediating) commercial, property and planning costs disputes. Having started practice at the Bar in personal injury, he is also an experienced cross-examiner, and is regularly instructed to deal with disputes concerning conduct, misconduct, wasted costs and non-party costs orders.

Since 2013, Paul has been heavily involved in assisting firms with managing the transition to the post-Jackson world, having given business advice and undertaken substantial non-contentious work in this regard. Seven years on, Paul still advises on managing ‘broken retainers’ and resolving disputes concerning the indemnity principle, from both the paying party’s and the receiving party’s points of view.  His expertise in solicitor and own client disputes has also recently been in high demand as litigation in the sector gains pace.

As an advocate, Paul has appeared at all levels, from the County Court to Court of Appeal, and has substantial experience of advising on, litigating and mediating claims for costs in well excess of £1m.  Paul is keen to expand his practice further and, in that regard, is currently advising on the costs of an application in a highly-complex and extremely high value commercial claim in the British Virgin Islands.  He will be called to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in October 2020.

Paul is a longstanding member of the Recruitment Committee in Chambers and, together with Kevin Latham, has co-edited the Costs section of the Civil Court Service (“the Brown Book”).

Paul is one of only three barristers to qualify as a Costs Lawyer and Commissioner for Oaths. Paul is a qualified mediator and CADR Panel Member.

Outside of work, Paul loves spending time with his two boys, watching football and, at least up until March 2020(!),travelling the world to indulge in his passions of food (an obsessive, but very amateur, cook!), drink, languages and Swedish metal…..