I am a specialist costs and litigation funding barrister at Hailsham Chambers. I advise and appear in cases involving commercial costs, litigation funding, retainers, solicitor and own client costs, non-party costs, wasted costs, collective proceedings, group actions, costs appeals and costs mediation.
Most of my work is now London-based, particularly in higher-value commercial, professional liability, funding and costs disputes. I am regularly instructed by London solicitors and litigation teams, and I am available for hearings, conferences, mediations and advisory work in London.
I also travel internationally where the case justifies it, including to jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands, Dubai, Gibraltar, Jersey and other offshore or international litigation centres. That work may involve English law issues, costs and funding structures, retainer disputes, litigation economics, or specialist advice to local lawyers, funders, insurers and commercial parties.
I am usually instructed where costs are not just an administrative consequence of litigation, but part of the wider strategy: recovery, exposure, funding, settlement, security, appeals, or enforcement.
Contacting my clerks
For availability, fees and urgent enquiries, please contact my clerks at Hailsham Chambers.
Main clerks’ number: +44 (0)20 7643 5000
Email: clerks@hailshamchambers.com
Out of hours: 07961 428125
The clerking team includes:
- Stephen Smith, Senior Clerk — 020 7643 5011
- Stuart Paley, Deputy Senior Clerk — 020 7643 5013
- Lee Reynolds, Senior Practice Manager — 020 7643 5031
- Lewis Merison, Practice Manager — 020 7643 5012
- James Defries, Assistant Practice Manager — 020 7643 5010
- Carrigan Beavan, Assistant Practice Manager — 020 7643 5014
- Ben Dillnutt-Brooks, Junior Clerk
What to say when making an enquiry
When contacting my clerks, it is helpful to identify:
- The client;
- The opposing party;
- The nature of the litigation;
- The costs or funding issue;
- The amount at stake;
- The procedural stage;
- Any hearing date or deadline;
- The work required: advice, drafting, advocacy, mediation, or urgent tactical input.
A short note identifying the real issue is often more useful than a large unexplained bundle.
Urgent instructions
If the matter is urgent, please say so clearly.
In particular, identify:
- The deadline;
- The hearing date, if any;
- What needs to be done;
- Whether papers are ready;
- Whether a conference is required.
Costs issues often arise quickly. Consequentials hearings, Part 36 points, security for costs applications, costs appeals and solicitor-client procedural deadlines may all require fast advice.
What to send
The papers needed will depend on the issue. The following is a practical guide.
Commercial costs
Please send the order or draft order, judgment if available, costs budget, costs management orders, statement or schedule of costs, any bill, Part 36 or Calderbank offers, application materials, key correspondence, deadline, and a short note explaining the costs point.
Litigation funding
Please send the funding agreement, any CFA or DBA, ATE policy, pleadings, costs budget, security for costs material, settlement offers, relevant orders, amount at stake, and a short explanation of the funding or adverse costs issue.
Where there are several parties, funders or insurers, a short diagram of the structure is useful.
Retainers and solicitor-client costs
Please send the client care letter, retainer, any CFA, DBA or contentious business agreement, estimates and costs updates, bills, points of dispute and replies, complaint correspondence, settlement documents, key dates, amount in dispute and a short chronology.
In these cases, the documents and dates usually matter.
Non-party costs
Please send the pleadings, judgment or order, costs order sought or made, evidence of funding, control or benefit, funding or insurance documents, correspondence with the proposed non-party, company structure information, witness statements, evidence of inability to pay, amount sought and a short chronology.
The key question is usually: what did the proposed non-party do, and why should they pay?
Wasted costs
Please send the relevant orders, judgment or transcript, application or draft application, the conduct complained of, costs said to have been wasted, key correspondence, witness statements, schedule of costs, any insurance or professional negligence material, and a short chronology.
The allegation should be specific: conduct, causation, and costs.
Collective proceedings and group actions
Please send the pleadings, certification or GLO material, funding agreement, retainers, ATE policy, costs budget, costs sharing agreement, security for costs material, settlement terms, documents about deductions from damages, relevant orders, procedural stage and a short explanation of the group and funding structure.
Costs appeals
Please send the order under appeal, judgment or reasons, transcript or note of judgment, submissions below, relevant costs documents, offers, draft grounds if available, sealed order date, appeal deadline, amount at stake and a short note explaining the alleged error.
Appeal deadlines are critical. Please identify them clearly.
Costs mediation and ADR
Please send a short summary of the dispute, bill or costs claim, points of dispute and replies, key retainer documents, costs orders, offers, funding or ATE documents, amount claimed, amount realistically in dispute, procedural stage and proposed mediation date.
For mediation, proportionate papers are usually best.
Conferences
A conference may be useful before a consequentials hearing, costs appeal, security for costs application, detailed assessment, solicitor-client preliminary issue, non-party costs application, wasted costs application, mediation or settlement meeting.
Please say whether the conference is for advice, drafting, advocacy preparation, settlement strategy or mediation preparation.
Public Access
In suitable cases, I may accept instructions directly from members of the public or commercial clients under the Public Access scheme.
Not every costs dispute is suitable for Public Access. Some cases require a solicitor because of procedural complexity, document volume, correspondence, urgency or the stage reached in the litigation.
Contact
For availability, fees and instructions, please contact my clerks at Hailsham Chambers.
Please identify the deadline, the work required, and the real costs or funding issue.