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30 June 2023
Issue: 8031 / Categories: Legal News , Costs , Procedure & practice
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NLJ this week: Don’t be vague in your points of dispute

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It pays to be specific when setting out points of dispute, as Laura Rees, council member of the Association of Costs Lawyers, explains in this week’s NLJ

Rees refers to a recent Court of Appeal case of Ainsworth v Stewarts Law, which was ‘the first case of its kind to raise an issue with the content of the points of dispute’.

Rees looks at this case and other recent caselaw where ‘generic points of dispute’ were found wanting. She shares advice on how to make points of dispute specific and clear, while acknowledging that this can be a difficult and arduous task.

Rees writes: ‘What is clear is that specific items and entries need to be itemised, with a clear objection made for each entry as to why the time is being challenged.’ 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Thackray Williams—Lucy Zhu

Thackray Williams—Lucy Zhu

Dual-qualified partner joins as head of commercial property department

Morgan Lewis—David A. McManus

Morgan Lewis—David A. McManus

Firm announces appointment of next chair

Burges Salmon—Rebecca Wilsker

Burges Salmon—Rebecca Wilsker

Director joins corporate team from the US

NEWS
What safeguards apply when trust corporations are appointed as deputy by the Court of Protection? 
Disputing parties are expected to take part in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), where this is suitable for their case. At what point, however, does refusing to participate cross the threshold of ‘unreasonable’ and attract adverse costs consequences?
When it comes to free legal advice, demand massively outweighs supply. 'Millions of people are excluded from access to justice as they don’t have anywhere to turn for free advice—or don’t know that they can ask for help,' Bhavini Bhatt, development director at the Access to Justice Foundation, writes in this week's NLJ
When an ex-couple is deciding who gets what in the divorce or civil partnership dissolution, when is it appropriate for a third party to intervene? David Burrows, NLJ columnist and solicitor advocate, considers this thorny issue in this week’s NLJ
NLJ's latest Charities Appeals Supplement has been published in this week’s issue
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