Costs budgeting 'lite' pilots expand

The costs budgeting 'lite' pilots, which have gained popularity among judges and users during their initial year, are likely to see expansion into other courts. This announcement was made by Lady Justice Cockerill, Deputy Head of Civil Justice, at an Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL) event. The pilots have been well-received in locations outside London, with Dame Sara mentioning, “It has been very, very popular amongst judges and, outside of London, it has been very, very popular generally.”

Initiated on 6 April 2025, the pilots were originally introduced in the Leeds, Manchester and Rolls Building Business & Property Courts, as well as in the Leeds, Manchester and Central London county courts. Dame Sara noted that the pilots are influencing where users file their claims, stating, “We have seen suggestions that people are issuing in locations where they can access cost budgeting lite rather than in the other district registries.” The deputy head highlighted that feedback from legal practitioners would be invaluable in determining whether these pilots should expand further.

Lady Justice Cockerill also addressed anticipated reports from the Civil Justice Council, one focusing on reforms to the costs provisions within the Solicitors Act 1974 and the other proposing guideline hourly rates for barristers, particularly for significant commercial cases. As she remarked, “The legislation hasn't really kept pace with developments and the status quo has made everybody very unhappy.”

Discussions surrounding new hourly rates have proven contentious, as acknowledged by Dame Sara, who said, “Guideline hourly rates for barristers were a bit of a shock to a number of people.” She noted concerns regarding whether the proposed enhanced rate for heavy commercial cases would exacerbate costs.

Dame Sara's recent appointment as the first female deputy head of civil justice signifies a milestone for gender representation in the legal profession. “I was of the generation where I thought there will be no more firsts for us by the time we got to the top of the profession,” she said. Her role prioritises transparency, digitisation and the improvement of the justice system, with a particular focus on making it more accessible.

The ambition is to create rules that are both clear and accessible, aimed at assisting litigants in person, as detailed by Dame Sara, who noted the increasing reliance on digital devices. “A lot of the online systems are designed to be used ideally by litigants in person on their mobile phones,” she stated.

The event concluded with comments from ACL chair David Bailey-Vella, who praised Dame Sara's contributions and leadership, particularly in the context of the costly Pan Nox Emissions litigation. The renewed focus on costs budgeting reflects a broader commitment to making the legal system more efficient for all parties involved

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