Articles From the Team

Just when you thought it was safe….

Lawyers handling Personal Injury claims and those on the claimant side of civil litigation have had a pretty rocky ride over the last couple of years. The Jackson reforms have acted to squeeze claims and the law firms involved in this work are yet to feel the full ramifications of the Mitchell ruling which will surely mean all but the very big or the very niche will have difficulties with this work( cue the rush for Professional Indemnity lawyers in about March 2015!). Yet, just as they thought they are over the worst, they have been hit with a series of court fee increases which come in this month.

For claims in excess of £300,000 which will by definition claims that involve major trauma of some description to the victim will have an extra fee of £200 added for a claim for which fees are already capped at £1,870. The Ministry of Justice has said that the taxpayer can no longer subsidise those using the civil courts but surely these serious claims and the rightful compensation for the victims are things that the taxpayer would be keen to assist with.

Lawyers generally get an unjustified ‘ bad press’. Quite often recruiters do too. Yet often lawyers in their many guises provide an invaluable public service. In the case of these claims they provide exactly that. Our role as recruiters is to assist the law firm throughout the good times as well as the turbulent times, a process that often involves a very consultative process to provide the right staff at the right level and at the right price. A consultative process for a commonly desired end. Something the Ministry of Justice should perhaps consider?

If you would like to know more then please visit our website BCL Legal.