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19 November 2015 / Dominic Regan
Issue: 7677 / Categories: Features , Costs
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The end of budget stand-offs?

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Dominic Regan predicts that the fracas that has dogged costs budgeting could soon be a distant memory

No one, not even the architect of budgeting, believes that the present scheme is perfect. Lord Justice Jackson, in a lecture seven months ago, made a series of sensible proposals to refine the process. I anticipate changes will be implemented during 2016.

What needs to be appreciated is that real good for both client and lawyer can flow from costs management. A vociferous minority resent costs management.

We heard like-noises about the other elements of CPR reform in 2013. The Mitchell debacle aside, a decision which was nothing whatever to do with Jackson, the reforms have been embraced and seem to me to be working.

The 2014 extension of costs management to the Commercial Court was going to be disastrous claimed those resistant to the idea. My understanding is that parties are regularly agreeing their budgets with one another and no discernible damage has been done.

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