In the third article in a special NLJ costs series, William Gibson tackles client billing
Many legal practitioners, once the satisfying glow of qualification has passed, do not put costs practice or billing high on their list of enthusiasms and why should they? Most firms employ accounts departments and an increasing amount of control is exercised by practice managers or chief executives.
What these administrative people do not do is appear on the front line, face- to-face with clients or opponents who are not slow to take advantage of slips, errors or obscure technicalities when money is at stake.
The SRA Code of Conduct 2011 (the code) “does not deal with the form a bill can take, final or interim bills, when they can be delivered and how a firm can sue on a bill”. The reason for exclusion is apparently because “these matters are covered by complex legal provisions” (see guidance note 30 to r 2.03 of the Code).
Those complexities, of course, are the very ones which can lead solicitors and their clients
