Our Services

We provide this service to any individual or company that is not a ‘commercial or government client’ as defined by section 170 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law or any corresponding law.

Frequently asked Questions

Any individual or company concerned about fees billed by their former or current lawyer as long as:

  • the individual or company is not a ‘commercial or government client’ as defined by section 170 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law or any corresponding law.
  • the final bill was issued by the law practice, or request for payment was made by the law practice less than 12 months ago, or
  • the legal costs were paid less than 12 months ago if neither a bill nor a request was made.
  • note: on some occasions it will be reasonable to review and seek assessment of costs billed or paid after the 12-month period.
  • All costs agreements and disclosures as to costs (including letters updating costs or disclosing counsel’s fees) provided in the matter by your former (or current) solicitor.
  • All invoices issued by your solicitor.
  • A short description on the background of the matter or matters carried out by your solicitor, including the case number and copies of any judgments delivered or final orders made in the matter.
  • Clarification of the total costs charged by the solicitor and total amount paid to the solicitor.
  • Information about the unavailability of any of the above documents or information.
  • Yes, possibly some important correspondence and Court documents in relation to the matter, or the entire file in relation to the matter.
  • We have decades of legal costing experience and expertise which allows you to obtain a reduction to the fees payable by you to your former lawyer (where fees unreasonably charged). Where all legal fees have been paid, we assist you in obtaining a refund of part of the fees paid.
  • You do not need to be worried about our costs exceeding any potential reductions to the fees to be paid to (or refund payable by) your former lawyer.
  • We will let you know if a favourable result is unlikely to be achieved or if our costs are likely to outweigh any reductions to the bill (or any refund payable) before commencement of our retainer.
  • We receive relevant documents from you and advise whether your case is suitable for our Legal Fee Refund/Reduction program.
  • We request any missing information from your former lawyer and attempt to negotiate costs with your former lawyer.
  • Proceedings are commenced for the purpose of seeking assessment or taxation of costs. The process here is different across various state and federal jurisdictions. For example:
  • NSW - proceedings commenced by filing an application for assessment of costs accompanied by a detailed notice of objection containing general and specific objections to each item of the bill/s to be objected. Costs are then assessed ‘on the papers’ by a Costs Assessor appointed by the Manager of Costs Assessment
  • VIC - proceedings commenced by filing a summons for taxation after which the matter is listed for a directions hearing to obtain dates for filing and service of important documents including a notice of objection and the matter is listed for mediation. If the matter is unresolved at mediation, the solicitor’s bill is taxed at Court at the taxation hearing. At a directions hearing, the matter can also be listed for preliminary hearing if there is a dispute on the basis on which the solicitor has charged costs (usually occurs when the solicitor is found to have breached its disclosure obligations).
  • QLD – proceedings commenced by filing an application for assessment of costs accompanied by a supporting affidavit, after which, the registry allocates a date for a directions hearing before a judge or magistrate (depending on the size of the bill). The court also appoints a particular Costs Assessor to assess costs. This order can be made by consent. The Costs Assessor then assesses costs ‘on the papers’.
  • ACT - proceedings commenced by filing an originating application for costs assessment, upon which application is listed for directions before the registrar. After this costs are assessed by a registrar at Court.
  • We file and serve offers of compromise or Calderbank offers at various stages of the proceeding, where appropriate. If the matter is not resolved, appropriate Court orders or Certificates of Determination as to costs are made setting out the [reduced] total costs payable by the client to the former solicitor or, where fees had already been paid, the total costs to be refunded by the former solicitor.

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