Association of Costs Lawyers

The Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL) is the professional body for costs lawyers (formerly known as law costs draftsmen) in the UK. Its site includes information on the role, education and training of costs lawyers, a directory of members and news items. Some content is only available to members and/or registered subscribers.

Costs Lawyer Standards Board

The Costs Lawyer Standards Board (CLSB) is the Approved Regulator of costs lawyers in England and Wales. Documents accessible on its site include the costs lawyers’ Code of Conduct, Practising Rules, and Disciplinary Rules & Procedures. There is a searchable register of costs lawyers who hold a current practising certificate and are therefore regulated by the CLSB.

Litigation Futures

This site describes itself as “the free guide to costs, funding and the Jackson reforms”. It was launched in 2012 and is edited by a team of legal journalists. Site content includes news (archived back to January 2011) and a blog.

Review of Civil Litigation Costs

Lord Justice Jackson was appointed by the Master of the Rolls in November 2008 to lead a fundamental review of the costs of civil litigation in England and Wales, and to make recommendations. His final report was published on 14 January 2010 and its recommendations largely implemented on 1 April 2013. Both the final report and an earlier preliminary report are available here on the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary web site, together with related material including consultation responses and lectures on implementation.

Senior Courts Costs Office

The Senior Courts Costs Office (SCCO), part of the High Court of Justice, was known before the establishment of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in 2009 as the Supreme Court Costs Office. This section of the GOV.UK web site includes the Senior Courts Costs Office Guide and other guidance documents, links to cause lists, and links to decisions 2000 onwards on the BAILII site.