The judge wasn't happy with how both sides handled the case, especially the extra costs from changing the main legal argument. Instead of paying the massive bill asked for, the judge decided to only pay £5,000 because the lawyers should have done things much more efficiently and cheaply.
Key Facts
- •The case concerns costs arising from an amendment to a summary judgment application.
- •The judge expresses disapproval of the handling of the case by both sides.
- •The claimant's costs schedule included 22.7 hours on documents, involvement of two silks, and hourly rates above the Guideline rate.
- •The defendant argued that many of the costs should fall under substantive summary judgment costs.
Legal Principles
Outcomes
The judge allowed £5,000 for the costs associated with the amendment.
The judge found that the costs incurred were excessive and could have been significantly lower with more efficient handling. The judge deemed some costs inappropriate for this stage and belonging to the substantive summary judgment.