COLIN CAMPBELL - OUR CONFERENCE CHAIR
OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER
The Hon. Mrs Justice Henrietta Hill DBE
Mrs Justice Hill was called to the Bar in 1997 and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2015. As a barrister, she specialised in human rights, equality law, inquests, public inquiries and claims against the police. She appeared in the inquests into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Fayed, represented 22 of the bereaved families in the fresh Hillsborough Inquests and was Deputy Counsel to the Independent Inquiry Into Child Sexual Abuse from 2017-2022.
Henrietta was appointed an Assistant Coroner in 2014 and a Deputy High Court Master of the Queen’s Bench Division in 2015, before being appointed as a High Court Judge in 2022. She is currently the Judicial College Director of Civil and Coroners Training and the Administrative Court Liaison Judge for the Northern and North Eastern Circuits. Her interests include family life, Peloton, local history and RV travel in the USA.
Henrietta was appointed an Assistant Coroner in 2014 and a Deputy High Court Master of the Queen’s Bench Division in 2015, before being appointed as a High Court Judge in 2022. She is currently the Judicial College Director of Civil and Coroners Training and the Administrative Court Liaison Judge for the Northern and North Eastern Circuits. Her interests include family life, Peloton, local history and RV travel in the USA.
OUR SPEAKERS
Alexander Hutton KC
Hailsham Chambers
Alexander’s practice is focused in two fields: clinical negligence, for claimants and defendants, and all aspects of costs law. In both these fields, Alexander is recommended in the highest band of leading silks in the directories and acts in connection with a range of clinical negligence cases, with special focus on those of the most serious nature and highest value. He has also appeared in many of the leading costs cases over the last 20 years, and was chair of the committee that introduced the now mandatory electronic bill of costs.
Alexander has appeared in a substantial proportion of the most important cases, such as Lownds, Factortame, Gloucestershire CC v Evans, Claims Direct, Accident Line, Jenkins v Young Brothers, Henry v Newsgroup, Blankley, Marcus v Medway.
He represented the appellant in Blankley v Central Manchester NHS Trust, a Court of Appeal case concerning whether the loss of a client’s mental capacity frustrates the contract of a retainer.
Alexander is instructed in cases for anyone from individuals to large corporate bodies in cases involving complex legal issues. He deals with the highest value costs cases in the High Court and Court of Appeal and in advising on retainer issues, drafting retainer documents and advising on costs issues during the course of the main litigation as well as on, and on appeal from, detailed assessments.
Alexander has appeared in a substantial proportion of the most important cases, such as Lownds, Factortame, Gloucestershire CC v Evans, Claims Direct, Accident Line, Jenkins v Young Brothers, Henry v Newsgroup, Blankley, Marcus v Medway.
He represented the appellant in Blankley v Central Manchester NHS Trust, a Court of Appeal case concerning whether the loss of a client’s mental capacity frustrates the contract of a retainer.
Alexander is instructed in cases for anyone from individuals to large corporate bodies in cases involving complex legal issues. He deals with the highest value costs cases in the High Court and Court of Appeal and in advising on retainer issues, drafting retainer documents and advising on costs issues during the course of the main litigation as well as on, and on appeal from, detailed assessments.
Costs Judge James
Jennifer James qualified as a Solicitor in 1992 and throughout her professional career specialised in the field of legal Costs, becoming a Fellow of the Association of Law Costs Draftsman in 1999 and being appointed as a Deputy Costs Judge in the Senior Court Costs Office (SCCO) in 2002.
In 2007 Jennifer was admitted to the New York State Bar as an Attorney and Counselor-at-Law and later that same year she taught at the University of Law, teaching on the Bar Professional Training Course’s Civil Litigation team. Jennifer was accredited by the Advocacy Training Council to give feedback upon candidates’ Advocacy in 2007 and became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2010. Jennifer also undertook a great deal of work on the Education Sub[1]Committee of the Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL) and in particular set the final exams for trainee Costs Lawyers for several years.
In September 2015, Jennifer was appointed as a full-time Costs Judge (Taxing Master of the Senior Courts) and was deployed to the Royal Courts of Justice with effect from 21 September 2015. She is the first-ever full-time female Master in the SCCO. In March 2016 Jennifer was called to the Bar and is a (non-practising) Member of Lincoln’s Inn.
In 2007 Jennifer was admitted to the New York State Bar as an Attorney and Counselor-at-Law and later that same year she taught at the University of Law, teaching on the Bar Professional Training Course’s Civil Litigation team. Jennifer was accredited by the Advocacy Training Council to give feedback upon candidates’ Advocacy in 2007 and became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2010. Jennifer also undertook a great deal of work on the Education Sub[1]Committee of the Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL) and in particular set the final exams for trainee Costs Lawyers for several years.
In September 2015, Jennifer was appointed as a full-time Costs Judge (Taxing Master of the Senior Courts) and was deployed to the Royal Courts of Justice with effect from 21 September 2015. She is the first-ever full-time female Master in the SCCO. In March 2016 Jennifer was called to the Bar and is a (non-practising) Member of Lincoln’s Inn.
Shaman Kapoor
39 Essex Street Chambers
Shaman specialises in costs and litigation funding together with a broader practice in commercial and common law litigation and group action work. He appears regularly in the High Court and the Senior Courts Costs Office, often involved in appellate work or complex points of principle and injunctive relief. His recent involvement in group action work includes the Emissions claims, claims against the regulatory bodies in the sports of rugby and football in the concussion litigation and the civil claims arising out of the Grenfell tower tragedy. He has experience of representing professional sports players in anti-doping proceedings and has contributed to the editorial work towards the regulation of British Wrestling. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, having specialised in international arbitration, and receives instructions domestically and internationally.
He is a frequent speaker at key seminars on the costs and funding calendar and a contributing editor to Thomson Reuters' "Costs & Funding following the Civil Justice Reforms: Questions & Answers", The White Book. He is a Lead Advocacy Tutor for Lincoln's Inn and has been ranked by the Directories as a leading junior for many years. He is the editor of 39 Essex Chambers' bi-annual Costs Newsletter (3+9 = Costs) and is joint-head of Chambers' Costs Group. He is appointed as a member of Chambers' Management Board and separately appointed as a school Governor. He is a qualified Mediator and is an appointed Deputy District Judge.
He is a frequent speaker at key seminars on the costs and funding calendar and a contributing editor to Thomson Reuters' "Costs & Funding following the Civil Justice Reforms: Questions & Answers", The White Book. He is a Lead Advocacy Tutor for Lincoln's Inn and has been ranked by the Directories as a leading junior for many years. He is the editor of 39 Essex Chambers' bi-annual Costs Newsletter (3+9 = Costs) and is joint-head of Chambers' Costs Group. He is appointed as a member of Chambers' Management Board and separately appointed as a school Governor. He is a qualified Mediator and is an appointed Deputy District Judge.
Dr. Victoria McCloud
Retired Master of the Kings Bench Division
Judge Victoria McCloud retired in mid 2024 as a King's Bench Master in the High Court, following the decline in the civil rights position of UK trans people and the newly hostile public, governmental and online environment towards them, and now lives in the Republic of Ireland away from such issues.
Since 2025 she has been a Legally Qualified Chair of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal, in Manchester, and will be trying cases about serious medical misconduct. She is an Honorary Member of the Association of Costs Lawyers, author, and Chartered Psychologist in the UK and Ireland. She comes to the UK periodically including where necessary for work.
She is a consultant at W-Legal Solicitors, an associate member of Gatehouse Chambers, member of the Costs ADR panel (CADR), Trust Mediation and Westwood Mediation. At the end of 2024 she founded her own company Limelight Resolution specialising in ADR in the context of the creative industries such as Film, TV, Theatre and dance.
Since 2025 she has been a Legally Qualified Chair of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal, in Manchester, and will be trying cases about serious medical misconduct. She is an Honorary Member of the Association of Costs Lawyers, author, and Chartered Psychologist in the UK and Ireland. She comes to the UK periodically including where necessary for work.
She is a consultant at W-Legal Solicitors, an associate member of Gatehouse Chambers, member of the Costs ADR panel (CADR), Trust Mediation and Westwood Mediation. At the end of 2024 she founded her own company Limelight Resolution specialising in ADR in the context of the creative industries such as Film, TV, Theatre and dance.
Matthew Waszak
4 New Square Chambers
Matthew Waszak specialises in all aspects of costs litigation and litigation funding, as well as in related professional negligence and commercial work. He is consistently ranked as a leading junior by the legal directories, described as “absolutely phenomenal”, “utterly brilliant” and someone who “knows costs inside-out”.
Many of his cases arise following high-value litigation, or relate to costs points with market-wide significance. His cases often involve insurance coverage, regulatory and professional liability issues. A very busy practitioner who regularly appears in the Senior Court Costs Office and before Regional Costs Judges, Matt is at the cutting edge of the battle lines, developments and trends in this area of work. He is frequently brought into major litigation, including commercial and group litigation, to advise on or argue specific costs issues. He is regularly instructed as a costs specialist in respect of costs budgeting or costs budget variations, the application of Part 36 and in applications for wasted costs orders and non-party costs orders.
During his earlier years at the Bar, Matt’s specialist costs practice developed alongside a wider civil common law practice, which encompassed personal injury, inquest and public law work. He was regularly instructed by claimant injury firms and defendant insurers; appeared unled in the Court of Appeal in Norman v Norman [2017] 1 WLR 2523, the leading case on anonymity in financial relief proceedings; and was instructed in the high-profile Hillsborough and Deepcut Inquests (Cheryl James and Sean Benton).
His depth of civil litigation experience is invaluable to many of the costs disputes in which he is instructed. That experience, particularly of the personal injury market, leaves him uniquely well placed in respect of disputes arising from the extension of fixed recoverable costs (FRC).
Many of his cases arise following high-value litigation, or relate to costs points with market-wide significance. His cases often involve insurance coverage, regulatory and professional liability issues. A very busy practitioner who regularly appears in the Senior Court Costs Office and before Regional Costs Judges, Matt is at the cutting edge of the battle lines, developments and trends in this area of work. He is frequently brought into major litigation, including commercial and group litigation, to advise on or argue specific costs issues. He is regularly instructed as a costs specialist in respect of costs budgeting or costs budget variations, the application of Part 36 and in applications for wasted costs orders and non-party costs orders.
During his earlier years at the Bar, Matt’s specialist costs practice developed alongside a wider civil common law practice, which encompassed personal injury, inquest and public law work. He was regularly instructed by claimant injury firms and defendant insurers; appeared unled in the Court of Appeal in Norman v Norman [2017] 1 WLR 2523, the leading case on anonymity in financial relief proceedings; and was instructed in the high-profile Hillsborough and Deepcut Inquests (Cheryl James and Sean Benton).
His depth of civil litigation experience is invaluable to many of the costs disputes in which he is instructed. That experience, particularly of the personal injury market, leaves him uniquely well placed in respect of disputes arising from the extension of fixed recoverable costs (FRC).
Roger Mallalieu KC
4 New Square Chambers
Roger Mallalieu KC has been a member of 4 New Square Chambers since 2008 and took silk in 2020. He is ranked as a leading practitioner in the field of costs law and has been involved in many of the leading cases in the area. He is ranked in Chambers & Partners as a ‘star individual’ in the field.
Recognised by the directories as a “guru on costs” with a “formidable reputation”, he has been described in the directories as “absolutely smashing” and “simply the best when it comes to costs law.” “Roger is just incredible. His intellect, advocacy and persuasiveness are second to none, and he is also down to earth and genuine. Added to this he's very patient and generous: an absolute class act.” He “wins considerable market acclaim due to his broad knowledge base and restrained yet steely manner” with a particular comment made of his ability to “bringing clarity and depth to the case” and his ability then to “integrate that into a team approach to get the best result”. He regularly appears in the Court of Appeal on important costs cases and has been instructed in some of the few costs cases to have been heard in the Supreme Court, including successfully representing the Appellants in the Supreme Court case in both Ho v Adelekun and Menzies v Oakwood Solicitors.
In recent years he has been involved in many of the largest costs and funding disputes, including many of the major funding cases in the Competition Appeals Tribunal. He successfully represented Apple in the recent case of Christine Riefa Class Representative Limited v Apple & Others, the first case in which certification of a large opt out collective action was refused by reference to funding issues following cross examination of the proposed class representative.
Roger is particularly attracted to complex technical issues and prides himself on his ability to work with his professional and lay clients to develop and then pursue a comprehensive strategy to deploy or respond to such issues at all levels.
Recognised by the directories as a “guru on costs” with a “formidable reputation”, he has been described in the directories as “absolutely smashing” and “simply the best when it comes to costs law.” “Roger is just incredible. His intellect, advocacy and persuasiveness are second to none, and he is also down to earth and genuine. Added to this he's very patient and generous: an absolute class act.” He “wins considerable market acclaim due to his broad knowledge base and restrained yet steely manner” with a particular comment made of his ability to “bringing clarity and depth to the case” and his ability then to “integrate that into a team approach to get the best result”. He regularly appears in the Court of Appeal on important costs cases and has been instructed in some of the few costs cases to have been heard in the Supreme Court, including successfully representing the Appellants in the Supreme Court case in both Ho v Adelekun and Menzies v Oakwood Solicitors.
In recent years he has been involved in many of the largest costs and funding disputes, including many of the major funding cases in the Competition Appeals Tribunal. He successfully represented Apple in the recent case of Christine Riefa Class Representative Limited v Apple & Others, the first case in which certification of a large opt out collective action was refused by reference to funding issues following cross examination of the proposed class representative.
Roger is particularly attracted to complex technical issues and prides himself on his ability to work with his professional and lay clients to develop and then pursue a comprehensive strategy to deploy or respond to such issues at all levels.
Simon Teasdale
4 New Square Chambers
Simon Teasdale has a specialist practice focused on costs and litigation funding in all forms of court and arbitral proceedings.
Simon is regularly involved in the most significant and high-value costs decisions and appeals in the English courts. In addition to being a ‘go to’ junior for Silks in all costs and funding-related litigation, he regularly appears as sole counsel in the High Court and Senior Courts Costs Office.
In the last 12 months alone, he has appeared in three of the most significant costs cases to reach the Court of Appeal and is acting in a number of the most high-profile group actions currently ongoing (including the ‘Dieselgate’ NOx Emissions litigation, ‘Phonehacking’ claims against NGN, shareholder claims against Glencore and civil claims arising out of the Grenfell Tower Fire in 2017).
Simon is ranked as a Leading Junior for Costs in both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500.
Simon is regularly involved in the most significant and high-value costs decisions and appeals in the English courts. In addition to being a ‘go to’ junior for Silks in all costs and funding-related litigation, he regularly appears as sole counsel in the High Court and Senior Courts Costs Office.
In the last 12 months alone, he has appeared in three of the most significant costs cases to reach the Court of Appeal and is acting in a number of the most high-profile group actions currently ongoing (including the ‘Dieselgate’ NOx Emissions litigation, ‘Phonehacking’ claims against NGN, shareholder claims against Glencore and civil claims arising out of the Grenfell Tower Fire in 2017).
Simon is ranked as a Leading Junior for Costs in both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500.
Dick Warner
Class Publishing
Dick Warner is the chairman of Class Publishing, which publishes resources for lawyers under its Class Legal imprint.
For civil litigators, we provide the definitive collection of all key UK costs law cases, plus incisive headnotes. All the Costs Law Reports cases and headnotes are available online, as the cases are handed down, throughout the year.
Costs Law Reports online is the biggest and most comprehensive online archive of Costs Law cases, both civil and criminal. There are over 2300 cases for members to access and download, all complete with a summarising headnote. The cases date as far back as 1910 and are regularly cited in the Higher Courts.
The Editors of Costs Law Reports, Master Colin Campbell and Teresa Aitken select the key costs cases as they are published, and give each of them an incisive and succinct Headnote, alongside the full text of the judgment.
We report all the principal costs law cases in print and online with the full, searchable text of all those cases.
For civil litigators, we provide the definitive collection of all key UK costs law cases, plus incisive headnotes. All the Costs Law Reports cases and headnotes are available online, as the cases are handed down, throughout the year.
Costs Law Reports online is the biggest and most comprehensive online archive of Costs Law cases, both civil and criminal. There are over 2300 cases for members to access and download, all complete with a summarising headnote. The cases date as far back as 1910 and are regularly cited in the Higher Courts.
The Editors of Costs Law Reports, Master Colin Campbell and Teresa Aitken select the key costs cases as they are published, and give each of them an incisive and succinct Headnote, alongside the full text of the judgment.
We report all the principal costs law cases in print and online with the full, searchable text of all those cases.
Professor Dominic Regan
Dominic Regan is a Solicitor (non-practising). He is Director of the Knowledge Hub at Frenkel Topping. A columnist at the ‘New Law Journal’, he also writes regularly for ‘Litigation Funding’.
Each year he delivers over 100 Civil Procedure updates to the legal profession.
Dominic advised Lord Justice Jackson on aspects of reform from 2010 until 2018 and was involved in the Intermediate Track changes.
With Sean Jones KC he writes the ‘Counsel’ magazine wine column.
Each year he delivers over 100 Civil Procedure updates to the legal profession.
Dominic advised Lord Justice Jackson on aspects of reform from 2010 until 2018 and was involved in the Intermediate Track changes.
With Sean Jones KC he writes the ‘Counsel’ magazine wine column.
Nicholas Bacon KC
4 New Square Chambers
Nicholas Bacon KC is one of the best-known leading barristers in his specialised fields of costs.
He is described in the Legal 500 as having “probably the biggest costs practice at the Bar” and by Chambers and Partners as being “top of the tree in this field”. He has appeared in practically all of the most important costs funding cases in recent years. He is a recognised specialist in that area having been appointed as an Assessor in the High Court on appeals against costs assessments. He sits as a Recorder in both civil and criminal work and is authorised to sit as a Deputy High Court Judge (s.9(1)).
This works sits alongside his established regulatory and disciplinary work for which is recognised as a leading KC in professional disciplinary and regulatory law.
His professional liability work is focused on legal the sector (solicitors and barristers) negligence work both for claimants and the insurance market.
He advises on all aspects of legal expenses insurance – coverage – enforcement – drafting – regulatory issues – many of the ATE and AAE terms in place today bear testament to his drafting. He acts for insurers and brokers alike. He is often retained by the leading ATE insurers to advise on the form and content of LEI policies underlying main-stream household or motor insurance. He is often instructed to advise on and draft associated panel solicitor documentation for claims management companies.
He has advised many if not all of the leading Third Party funders in the market (not just UK but globally) on funding terms and funding structures both domestically and internationally. He is regularly instructed to advise on funding structures in group litigation both before the Commercial Court and Competition Appeal Tribunal.
He is an advisor to a number of Unions and Incorporated Associations and Membership Organisations in respect of funding agreement structures and related legal expense insurance arrangements.
He was a former member of the Civil Procedure Rules Committee, a member of Lord Justice Jackson’s working group on the report into Civil Costs Review, current member of the Civil Justice Council working party on the review of third-party funding, the working party in respect of the review of costs budgeting and the CJC’s review of hourly rates.
He is described in the Legal 500 as having “probably the biggest costs practice at the Bar” and by Chambers and Partners as being “top of the tree in this field”. He has appeared in practically all of the most important costs funding cases in recent years. He is a recognised specialist in that area having been appointed as an Assessor in the High Court on appeals against costs assessments. He sits as a Recorder in both civil and criminal work and is authorised to sit as a Deputy High Court Judge (s.9(1)).
This works sits alongside his established regulatory and disciplinary work for which is recognised as a leading KC in professional disciplinary and regulatory law.
His professional liability work is focused on legal the sector (solicitors and barristers) negligence work both for claimants and the insurance market.
He advises on all aspects of legal expenses insurance – coverage – enforcement – drafting – regulatory issues – many of the ATE and AAE terms in place today bear testament to his drafting. He acts for insurers and brokers alike. He is often retained by the leading ATE insurers to advise on the form and content of LEI policies underlying main-stream household or motor insurance. He is often instructed to advise on and draft associated panel solicitor documentation for claims management companies.
He has advised many if not all of the leading Third Party funders in the market (not just UK but globally) on funding terms and funding structures both domestically and internationally. He is regularly instructed to advise on funding structures in group litigation both before the Commercial Court and Competition Appeal Tribunal.
He is an advisor to a number of Unions and Incorporated Associations and Membership Organisations in respect of funding agreement structures and related legal expense insurance arrangements.
He was a former member of the Civil Procedure Rules Committee, a member of Lord Justice Jackson’s working group on the report into Civil Costs Review, current member of the Civil Justice Council working party on the review of third-party funding, the working party in respect of the review of costs budgeting and the CJC’s review of hourly rates.
Master Jason Rowley
Acting Senior Costs Judge
Jason Rowley has been a Costs Judge at the Senior Courts Costs Office since April 2013. He is currently the Acting Senior Costs Judge and chairs the SCCO’s Costs Practitioners’ Group. He is a member of the CJC’s Working Party on reform of the Solicitors Act and is a tutor at the Judicial College.
Before joining the bench full time, Jason was a solicitor in private practice for 18 years, before becoming chief executive of a barristers’ chambers in the Temple and then a senior underwriting manager at a legal expenses insurer.
Before joining the bench full time, Jason was a solicitor in private practice for 18 years, before becoming chief executive of a barristers’ chambers in the Temple and then a senior underwriting manager at a legal expenses insurer.
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