Legal Costs

The High Court has opined upon the costs landscape in the context of a personal injuries action which was unsuccessful both at trial and on appeal. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Mr Justice Michael Twomey opined: "Instead of justice being administered to Ms Putniene, in this court’s v

A proposed new scale of fees for environmental judicial reviews has gone out for consultation. Climate, energy and environment minister Darragh O'Brien said he expected to hear "strong and divergent views" on the scale of fees, which has been proposed under the Planning and Development Act 2024.

The High Court has refused an application for security for costs brought by a life assurance company which sold an investment property to a new purchaser in 2017, despite having already sold it to the plaintiff in 1991. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Mr Justice David Nolan reasoned: "The co

Tughans partner Alistair Wilson considers a recent Irish court judgment on costs. The Court of Appeal in Milmoe v Chatzis & Anor [2025] IECA 149 clarifies that differential costs orders under section 17 of the Courts Act 1981 are discretionary, not automatic.

The Supreme Court has allowed an appeal of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, against an order for costs made in favour of a guardian ad litem in plenary proceedings before the High Court. Delivering judgment for the Supreme Court, Mr Justice Gerard Hogan explained that “it must be borne in m

The High Court has determined that Artem Lobov should bear liability for 75 per cent of the costs incurred by Conor McGregor’s legal team in preparing for a trial concerning a purported agreement to pay him a share of the proceeds from the sale of “Proper No. 12” whiskey. Deliverin

The Court of Appeal has quashed a determination of the Waterford County Registrar where there was no evidence that the principles in s.141 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 were applied. Delivering judgment for the Court of Appeal, Ms Justice Niamh Hyland found: “Section 141 is unambig

The solicitors' hourly rate used in assessments of legal costs in Northern Ireland is to be increased by more than 50 per cent to £155 per hour. The new hourly rate, signed off by the Taxing Master on Tuesday, will take effect from 1 June 2025 and will apply until 1 April 2027.

The High Court has opined on the correct method of estimating legal costs in light of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Mr Justice Michael Twomey highlighted that it was important to clarify that a person can agree to pay their own lawyers whatever amoun

The High Court has granted an order pursuant to s.3 of the Legal Practitioners (Ireland) Act 1876 to James Lucey & Company in respect of outstanding counsels’ fees due to a former client. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Mr Justice Oisin Quinn determined that “there is no clos

Solicitor Barry Magee is to be appointed as the next chief legal costs adjudicator. Mr Magee joined the Office of the Legal Costs Adjudicator in 2020 and will take the reins from Paul Behan upon Mr Behan's retirement next month.

A High Court judge has opined extensively on legal costs in Ireland in a judgment delivered in the course of litigation as between siblings over inherited family property. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Mr Justice Michael Twomey opined that “there was no obligation on her to provide a

The High Court has confirmed that the imposition of District Court scale fees in Circuit Court personal injuries proceedings did not fall foul of the prohibition on scale fees in s.17(4) of the Courts Act 1981. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Mr Justice Anthony Barr considered: “At the

The High Court has determined that it was reasonable for applicants to issue proceedings seeking leave for judicial review where the minister for justice had indicated her intention to deport the infant applicant. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Ms Justice Marguerite Bolger stated that the a

The Court of Appeal has determined that a notice party solicitor was entitled to his costs as against the appellant in proceedings arising from a decision of the legal costs adjudicator. Delivering judgment for the Court of Appeal, Ms Justice Ann Power considered that “it cannot be the case th