CONFERENCE PRESENTERS/EDITORS OF THE COSTS LAW REPORTS
Colin Campbell - Conference Chairman |
Teresa Aitken - Partners in Costs |
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Colin Campbell was a Costs Judge at the Royal Courts of Justice from 1996 to 2015. Before that, he sat as a Deputy Taxing Master for three years. He was a Costs Officer of the United Kingdom Supreme Court and of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council from 2010 to 2015. He was also a member of the Judicial Disciplinary panel.
On his retirement in 2015 from his permanent post, Colin continued to sit as a Deputy Costs Judge and also at the Land Registration Division of the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). In private practice, he was a partner in a central London Solicitors’ practice and in 2011, he was called to the Bar by Lincoln’s Inn. Colin sat as an assessor with Judges of the High Court in more than fifty costs appeals and also by invitation with the Court of Appeal. He was a member of Lord Justice Jackson’s working group on Insolvency fees. He also lectures extensively about costs, is on the Editorial Board of the Civil Court Practice and is a contributor to Friston on Costs. He is also a regular columnist on costs for Thomson Reuters Practical Law. On his retirement, Colin joined Kain Knight Costs Lawyers as a Consultant. He is also an accredited mediator in costs with Costs Alternative Dispute Resolution (CADR). As a panel member of CADR, he has conducted a large number of costs mediations, as well as having undertaken Expert Determinations and Early Neutral Evaluations in costs disputes. |
Teresa founded Partner In Costs in 1996, qualified as a Fellow of the Association of Law Costs Draftsmen in 2004 and was one of the first Costs Lawyers in 2007.
Teresa has been instrumental in the creation and streamlining of each department during PIC’s growth to increase efficiency and client service, obtaining Investors in People & QMS ISO:9001 accreditation, as well as championing work life balance. At the present time Teresa is involved in ensuring that PIC deliver the best service possible to clients. Teresa is delighted to work closely with Colin as the joint editor of the Costs Law Reports and delivers training sessions on costs issues to client firms. |
OUR SPEAKERS
The Hon. Mrs Justice Joanna Smith DBE
Dame Joanna Smith was called to the Bar in 1990 and specialised in professional negligence, commercial litigation and construction law. She took Silk in 2009 and qualified as a mediator, sitting, in addition, as an arbitrator. She was appointed a Deputy High Court Judge in 2017 and a Justice of the High Court (Chancery Division) on 11 January 2021 with a ticket also to sit in the Technology and Construction Court and the Patents Court. She is Chair of the Tribunal Procedures Committee, the body that makes rules that govern practice and procedure in the First-tier Tribunal and in the Upper Tribunal.
Dame Joanna grew up in a medical family. She was educated at an independent school in Ely before going up to the University of Oxford where she took a first class degree in jurisprudence and spent a considerable amount of time on the river. She was called to the Bar in 1990 by Lincoln’s Inn (where she is now a Bencher) becoming a tenant at the chambers of Anthony Scrivener QC at 2-3 Gray’s Inn Square. Some 8 years later she moved to Wilberforce Chambers.
In private practice, Dame Joanna was involved in many significant cases including Cavendish v Makdessi [2015] UKSC 67, a landmark authority on the doctrine of penalties.
More recently, she has been a member of the steering group overseeing the Costs Working Group which was created by the Civil Justice Council to consider four areas of civil costs, including costs budgeting and hourly expense rates, whose Report was published in May 2023.
Dame Joanna grew up in a medical family. She was educated at an independent school in Ely before going up to the University of Oxford where she took a first class degree in jurisprudence and spent a considerable amount of time on the river. She was called to the Bar in 1990 by Lincoln’s Inn (where she is now a Bencher) becoming a tenant at the chambers of Anthony Scrivener QC at 2-3 Gray’s Inn Square. Some 8 years later she moved to Wilberforce Chambers.
In private practice, Dame Joanna was involved in many significant cases including Cavendish v Makdessi [2015] UKSC 67, a landmark authority on the doctrine of penalties.
More recently, she has been a member of the steering group overseeing the Costs Working Group which was created by the Civil Justice Council to consider four areas of civil costs, including costs budgeting and hourly expense rates, whose Report was published in May 2023.
Nicholas Bacon KC of 4 New Square Chambers
Nicholas Bacon KC is recognised as a leading silk by the Legal Directories in his specialised fields of costs and regulatory work.
For nearly 30 years he has been recognised as one of the best-known leading barristers in his specialised field of costs related and funding litigation. He is regularly instructed by insurers and funders to draft and advise on complex funding structures for use in multi-party litigation and in claims of substantial value, including in excess of £1 billion. Appeared in practically all of the most important costs funding cases in recent years and continues to be a leading Silk in the field. He dominates this market with a hugely impressive bank of leading cases to his name in all divisions of the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
For nearly 30 years he has been recognised as one of the best-known leading barristers in his specialised field of costs related and funding litigation. He is regularly instructed by insurers and funders to draft and advise on complex funding structures for use in multi-party litigation and in claims of substantial value, including in excess of £1 billion. Appeared in practically all of the most important costs funding cases in recent years and continues to be a leading Silk in the field. He dominates this market with a hugely impressive bank of leading cases to his name in all divisions of the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
Robert Marven KC of 4 New Square Chambers
Robert Marven KC is a specialist in all aspects of the law of costs and litigation funding.
Robert is instructed in a range of high profile cases and he is often brought into major group and commercial litigation to deal with specific costs issues. He provides strategic advice on matters of commercial importance to all involved with the costs and funding of litigation. He advises on complex funding solutions for major commercial disputes, costs disputes between solicitors and former clients, and substantial disputes concerning legal expenses insurance.
Robert is instructed in a range of high profile cases and he is often brought into major group and commercial litigation to deal with specific costs issues. He provides strategic advice on matters of commercial importance to all involved with the costs and funding of litigation. He advises on complex funding solutions for major commercial disputes, costs disputes between solicitors and former clients, and substantial disputes concerning legal expenses insurance.
Matthew Waszak of 4 New Square Chambers
Matt specialises in all aspects of costs litigation and litigation funding, as well in costs-related professional negligence and commercial work.
He is sought after by clients in high-value cases and those involving complex and novel points of law. He is regularly instructed in high-value between the parties costs cases, in solicitor and own client cases and in disputes concerning the application of fixed costs. He is often brought into major litigation, including commercial litigation and group litigation, to advise on and represent parties in relation to specific costs issues. He advises solicitors on a broad range of litigation funding issues. His clients range from market-leading solicitors through to government departments, police forces, local authorities and individuals.
He regularly appears in the Senior Courts Costs Office and before Regional Costs Judges, as well as in appellate proceedings on points of appeal.
He is sought after by clients in high-value cases and those involving complex and novel points of law. He is regularly instructed in high-value between the parties costs cases, in solicitor and own client cases and in disputes concerning the application of fixed costs. He is often brought into major litigation, including commercial litigation and group litigation, to advise on and represent parties in relation to specific costs issues. He advises solicitors on a broad range of litigation funding issues. His clients range from market-leading solicitors through to government departments, police forces, local authorities and individuals.
He regularly appears in the Senior Courts Costs Office and before Regional Costs Judges, as well as in appellate proceedings on points of appeal.
Shaman Kapoor of 39 Essex Chambers
Shaman’s practice covers several fields of commercial and common law with his costs practice bridging over both fields. Most recently he has been regularly involved in injunctive relief in the High Court, Bitcoin related litigation and is heavily engaged in the group action in the Grenfell civil proceedings on behalf of 83 claimants, and the group action of professional rugby players against World Rugby and other governing bodies. He is regularly in the High Court and Senior Courts Costs Office and receives instructions domestically and internationally. He is also a qualified Mediator and is an appointed Deputy District Judge. Shaman teaches advocacy for Lincoln’s Inn as a Lead Advocacy Tutor. He was a contributing editor to Sweet & Maxwell’s Greenslade on Costs (2009-2017), he founded and edits Chambers’ Costs Newsletter (3+9 = Costs) and is a contributing editor to Thomson Reuters’ “Costs & Funding following the Civil Justice Reforms: Questions & Answers”, Supplement to The White Book (2022, 2023).
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.
Benjamin Williams KC of 4 New Square Chambers
Ben is a barrister at 4 New Square with a wide-ranging civil practice, extending from commercial cases to libel claims. However he is perhaps best known for his expertise on costs and litigation funding – an area where he is Chambers and Partners “Star Individual”. He has appeared in most of the key costs cases of the last 20 years, including most recently acting for the successful solicitor in the appeal of Belsner v Cam Legal.
Master Jennifer James, Costs Judge
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 Draftsmen 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.
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.
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.
Roger Mallalieu KC of 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. Roger is nominated in the Legal 500 Bar Awards for Chancery Silk of the Year 2022.
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.” “He really is something else. He knows the area so incredibly well but he’s never overbearing with that knowledge. His approach is really helpful and his strength is when he’s on his feet: he’s a fantastic advocate.” 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 Appellant in the Supreme Court case in Ho v Adelekun.
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.” “He really is something else. He knows the area so incredibly well but he’s never overbearing with that knowledge. His approach is really helpful and his strength is when he’s on his feet: he’s a fantastic advocate.” 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 Appellant in the Supreme Court case in Ho v Adelekun.
Deputy Costs Judge Erica Bedford of Kings Chambers
Erica is a barrister at Kings Chambers who practises exclusively in the law of costs. She has specialised in this niche area since 2003, qualifying as a Cost Lawyer and Solicitor prior to transferring to the Bar. Erica acts for both paying and receiving parties on matters arising from the full spectrum of civil litigation, but with particular emphasis on costs arising out of clinical negligence, high-value personal injury, and commercial litigation. She regularly appears in high-value, technically complex matters before the Regional Costs bench and SCCO, and on appeal. She has considerable experience in managing retainer arguments, technical issues of procedural law and issues of misconduct.
Erica has a solicitor/client practice, regularly acting for both clients and solicitors. Arising out of this, she delivers business advice to solicitors and advises upon and drafts retainers, both conditional and non-conditional.
A panel member of CADR (Costs Alternative Dispute Resolution), Erica is an experienced mediator in costs disputes. She also sits as a Deputy District Judge on the Northern Circuit, and in March 2021, Erica was appointed to the Regional B Panel of the Attorney General’s Panels of Junior Counsel to the Crown for a period of five years. Erica also sits as a Deputy Costs Judge at the Senior Courts Costs Office.
Erica is regularly invited to speak at national events as well as delivering in-house training. She is retained by MBL Seminars to teach on Solicitors Act matters. In 2023, Erica launched the first “Women in Costs” conference at which over 120 women working in costs litigation came together for a brunch event.
Erica has a solicitor/client practice, regularly acting for both clients and solicitors. Arising out of this, she delivers business advice to solicitors and advises upon and drafts retainers, both conditional and non-conditional.
A panel member of CADR (Costs Alternative Dispute Resolution), Erica is an experienced mediator in costs disputes. She also sits as a Deputy District Judge on the Northern Circuit, and in March 2021, Erica was appointed to the Regional B Panel of the Attorney General’s Panels of Junior Counsel to the Crown for a period of five years. Erica also sits as a Deputy Costs Judge at the Senior Courts Costs Office.
Erica is regularly invited to speak at national events as well as delivering in-house training. She is retained by MBL Seminars to teach on Solicitors Act matters. In 2023, Erica launched the first “Women in Costs” conference at which over 120 women working in costs litigation came together for a brunch event.
Master Jason Rowley - Costs Judge
Jason Rowley has been a Costs Judge at the Senior Courts Costs Office based at the Royal Courts of Justice, since 2 April 2013. He is the SCCO leadership for CE file; chair of the SCCO's Costs Practitioners’ Group; editor of the SCCO Guide and 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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