Costs ruling will boost demand for lawyers

Demand will be driven up for Costs Lawyers expertise in litigation and advocacy as determined by the Association of Costs Lawyers annual survey Findings from the survey of 79 Costs Lawyers indicated that three-quarters believe the ruling will necessitate the services of authorised Costs Lawyers rather than costs draftspeople. Furthermore, 68% of respondents anticipate a rise in candidates pursuing the Costs Lawyer Professional Qualification. The ruling is already influencing challenges against solicitor bills lacking evidence of supervision, with 71% of Costs Lawyers expecting a surge in these cases. Moreover, while not directly addressing rights of audience, the ruling appears to be prompting judges to scrutinise qualifications of those presenting cases, as indicated by 43% of respondents predicting that this practise will become more frequent. The ACL aims to obtain a Royal Charter for statutory protection of the professional title, and two-thirds of members believe this has gained urgency since the ruling. Additionally, in response to the forthcoming Civil Justice Council review, there is a strong call for streamlining the categorisation of bills, improving assessment processes, and enhancing consumer protections. Though just over a third of Costs Lawyers are using AI, the majority are cautiously exploring its potential to improve efficiency. Despite these advancements, the results also highlight ongoing concerns with budget adherence among solicitors, with a significant percentage reported as overspending. The ACL chair David Bailey-Vella noted that the Mazur ruling has illuminated the importance of the independent rights Costs Lawyers acquire through their qualifications, adding that the profession is thriving and beginning to embrace AI for efficiency while maintaining a focus on complex legal work that requires specialised knowledge

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