MoJ costs committee

The Ministry of Justice has established a costs committee to advice it on solicitors hourly rates in personal injury matters. The committee will be cared by Professor Stephen Nickell and include Frazer Whitehead of Russell Jones & Walker, Steve Brooker of the National Consumer Council and Dominic Clayden, technical claims director of Norwich Union. A further academic is expected to be appointed. Both Apil and Foil are concerned that it does not include a representative dedicated solely to the interest of the claimant. The Law Society’s publication Litigation Funding quotes Professor Nickell as saying the committee would collect information on the sort of rates that solicitors charge at various levels for a variety of activities ahead of making a ‘sensible and defensible’ decision early this year. This will not necessarily be the activities to which the guideline rates apply, but also related activities, such as employment tribunal work. The committee will also recommend methods of up-rating the figures.