Efforts to reduce disputes between solicitors and clients have shown little success, according to the Association of Costs Lawyers’ (ACL) latest survey.
The 2022 Court of Appeal ruling in Belsner aimed to limit solicitor-client disputes, but only 12% of ACL members surveyed reported a reduction in challenges to solicitors’ bills. The poll, conducted among 103 costs lawyers – around a fifth of the membership – indicates that such disputes remain a significant issue.
Mixed progress on costs and mediation
The survey also revealed that solicitors continue to struggle with costs budgeting. Only 10% of costs lawyers said solicitors always adhered to their budgets, while 54% reported occasional breaches, and 24% said budgets were always exceeded. Additionally, a third of respondents observed an increase in applications to vary budgets, reflecting ongoing challenges in financial planning.
Interest in mediation to resolve costs disputes is growing, with 24% of costs lawyers noting increased use. However, nearly as many ha