The Association of Costs Lawyers recently issued a press release revealing the results of a survey amongst Costs Lawyers as to their predictions as to the future of costs work.

This was reported in the New Law Journal with the following explanation as to the impact of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012:

“clients will pay their own costs out of their damages and are therefore likely to take a keen interest in the amount of costs their solicitor racks up”

Not an entirely accurate summary of the change which will mean that it is just the success fee that will be paid out of the client’s damages. However, it is not dissimilar to a number of the statements that were made in the House of Lords as the Bill was making its way through. The confusion over the issue does suggest that it will not be easy for claimant solicitors to explain to their clients how this will operate unless they are prepared to guarantee the client keeps 100% of their damages.

Hot on the heels of my nomination last year as “the Asset & Wealth Management law expert position in England” I have now been “highly recommended” by the Global Law Experts (who?) accreditation panel for the Professional Negligence law position in the UK. Competition for this position is clearly very fierce and their research team “short-listed several leading practitioners”. I just need to agree to pay the nominal fee of £500 and the position is mine.

With all these nominations for my recognised expertise, my CV keeps getting better and better.  If not necessarily more accurate.