Few costs lawyers have seen any reduction in disputes between solicitors and their clients despite the ruling in Belsner, the Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL) annual members survey has found.
In Belsner v CAM Legal Services Ltd [2022] EWCA Civ 1387, the Court of Appeal said solicitors should ensure their clients have the best possible information about the likely overall cost of their case. However, only 12% of 103 costs lawyers responding to the survey have since experienced a reduction in clients challenging their solicitors’ bills.
Moreover, a mere one in ten costs lawyers agreed solicitors always stuck to their budgets, while more than half said solicitors sometimes, and a quarter said they always, go over budget.
ACL chair Jack Ridgway said: ‘It can be difficult to change behaviours in the legal profession.’
