Remote hearings: guidance on costs

The guidance, which has also been welcomed by the masters at the Senior Court Costs Office, is available on the Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL) website, at: www.associationofcostslawyers.co.uk/Remote-Hearings---Guidance.

Claire Green, chair of the ACL, said: ‘Having taken part in a two-hour oral review of a provisional assessment this week, and organising it without the benefit of any guidance, I can only say that this document is to be welcomed.

‘We would urge all practitioners to familiarise themselves with it as it is anticipated the judges will begin to utilise the guidance quickly.’

The guidance pays particular attention to preparing e-bundles, with specific instruction on how to maintain privilege over the receiving party’s file of papers whilst at the same time creating an accessible core bundle, and how to deal with requests for Pamplin production. Courts must be provided with an e-bill in an editable format, such as Excel.