Blogs

We are pleased to announce that due to our continued expansion we have moved into new and larger offices in Carlisle. Please see our updated Contact Page for our new telephone and fax details.

On 6th October 2011, the Solicitors’ Handbook, including the Solicitors’ Code of Conduct, with its emphasis on outcomes focussed regulation, came into force, replacing the Solicitors’ Code of Conduct 2007.

The new code is guided by a set of core principles which solicitors are expected to adhere to at all times. In addition there are a series of ‘outcomes’ which are mandatory.

Client care is regulated by chapter 1 of the new Code, and outcome 1.13 is simply that:

The legal sector is undergoing an unprecedented period of change. Never before has the legal services market been impacted by so many issues all at the same time – many have referred to this as the perfect storm.

We have now opened a new office in Carlisle and welcome further new staff to the company.

Lee Whitehead is the new head of the Carlisle Office and has 15 years of experience in costs with 10 of those years being in costs drafting. Lee has come from a firm in Manchester and undertakes all aspects of the business, including attending Detailed Assessment Hearings.

Working alongside Lee is Tom Brocklebank, our Senior Costs Draftsman and Negotiator. Tom comes to us from a local firm and has 8 years of experience in drafting Schedules and Bills and also Negotiating.

The Government’s Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill received what was described by the Speaker as a "well-subscribed" second reading on 29th June 2011. It passed by a margin of 295 votes in favour to 212 against and will now move on to be considered by a House of Commons Public Bill Committee. The Committee will receive written submissions until Thursday 13th October 2011.

Civil and Family Court Fees have changed as of April 4th 2011. Please see the table below for fees relative to costs.

Paramount Legal Costs would like to officially welcome 2 new members of staff:

Robert Parness joins us as our new Litigation Consultant. A graduate in law from Warwick University, Rob comes to us from Jennings Legal Services whom he joined in 1999, and where he was appointed Court Manager in 2002, heading a team of advocates attending detailed assessment hearings throughout England and Wales.

We have just updated our Case Law Summary section with recent and relevant case law for your perusal which you will hopefully find helpful.

The Master of the Rolls has now considered the recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Costs further, and also additional material put to him by the Committee. On the basis of the evidence available to him, the Master of the Rolls has decided to accept the Committee’s recommendation that the 2009 Guideline Hourly Rates should be increased (in line with inflation) by 1.7% for 2010. The intention is that this should take effect from 1st April 2010.

The 50th Update of the Civil Procedure Rules saw new rules come into force on 1st October 2009 regarding ATE policies and the information required to be given to opponents.

This amendment to Section 19.4 of the Practice Direction Supplementing Parts 43 to 48 of the Civil Procedure Rules relates to further information that must be given to opponents regarding ATE policies.