Legal Aid Billing Specialists

Cost Law Services has a team of highly experienced and technical Law Costs Draftsman and Costs Lawyers who are proficient in preparing and advising in a variety of matters which are funded by the Legal Aid Agency through the  Legal Help scheme through to fully certificated Legal Aid/public funded matters. With a team full of experience in Legal Aid matters we provide a service that very few firms can compete.  Our aim is to maximise the recovery of your Legal Aid costs by staying current with the nuances of the Legal Aid Agency provisions.  We believe that the work you incur on your vulnerable client’s behalf is vital and allows them the access to justice. Accuracy and speed in getting the bill turned around for submission to the Legal Aid Agency is our priority as we know how tight cash flow can be when working with tight margins.  

At Cost Law Services we are able to allocate work to dedicated specialists to ensure that your Bills of Costs are of the highest standard and retained by the same Costs Law specialist throughout the life of the case to achieve the best possible outcome at the most cost effective rate.

We are able to assist with both civil and criminal legal aid billing.

Our Legal Aid Billing Service 

Cost Law Services are specialists in all publically funded work and our services include:

Civil Legal Aid

• Legal Aid 3 column Bills
• Legal Aid / Inter Party 6 column Bills;
• Legal Aid Claims (CIV CLAIM1’s, CIV CLAIM1A’s, CIV CLAIM2’s and CCMS submissions);
• Legal Aid Controlled Work (Legal Help) Billing;
• Exceptional Claims
• High Costs Case Plans
• Care Case Fee Scheme work
• Legal Aid Schedules
• Advice on Legal Aid issues
• Costs Budgets for Legal Aid matters
• Appeals against a Legal Aid  Assessment

Criminal (Crime) Legal Aid

• Crown Court Billing and Crown Court Appeals
• Magistrate Court fixed fee work
• Magistrate Court non-standard Exceptional Fees billing
• Police Station Exceptional Billing
• Prison Law (fixed fee and exceptional)
• Advocate Graduated Fees
• Advocacy in the Crown Court and Crown Court Appeals

As can be seen we have an extensive service that we can undertake for your firm.  Cost Law Services has built up a strong reputation as a reliable, client focused and knowledgeable provider of Legal Aid Costs.  Having vast experience in dealing with costs in Housing law,Child Care law, Criminal law, Court of Protection, Family , Immigration and Asylum; Judicial Review Prison Law, Action against the police and Mental Health.

Legal Aid Bill preparation

Cost Law Services are aware of the potential impact a poorly drafted Legal Aid Bill can have on your KPI’s given to your firm as a Legal Aid practitioner.  Whilst fully familiar with the CPR, our costs experts are aware of the additional restraints contained in the Costs Assessment Guidance and Civil Finance Electronic Handbook.  We are able to complete accurately your Bill preparation so that when considered by the Court your firms costs are maximised.  We will process for your firm the EX80A or EX80B and prepare the claim form submission to the Legal Aid Agency relieving the burden from your firm in preparing for the final admission to the Legal Aid Agency.  Once completed, the papers will be returned allowing for quicker payments to be received from the Legal Aid Agency.  With the costs expert assigned they are able to, where applicable, seek to recover and enhancement on the profit costs.  As with all the Bills of Costs that we at Cost Law Services prepare a letter of advice will accompany the Bill of Costs.    

If there is a determination in the final Order that there are costs recoverable on an inter-partes / LAA basis, our team is highly skilled at maximising your costs and dealing with all aspects of the Legal Aid element.  Costs Law Services offers a wide spectrum of services and recovery of inter-partes / LAA costs are at the forefront of our main service.  As is detailed in the inter-partes page Costs Law Services offer this additional service. 

We are able to bill Legal Aid file electronically for submission to the Legal Aid Agency

CIV Claims

Cost Law Services will relieve the burden and constraints of billing your CIV CLAIM 1’s, 1A’s and 2 allowing your firms fee earners to assist your client’s in their claims whilst allowing us to ensure that your costs are maximised and your firms claim for costs is expedited for payment by the Legal Aid Agency.

Costs and Case Management System (CCMS)

Costs Law Services with their reputation as a leading operator in Legal Aid Costs are fully conversant with the requirements and expectations of the CCMS system.  The CCMS system can be time consuming.  Using Cost Law Services we are well versed in the recovery of costs using the system enabling your fee earners to free up time and focus on their clients whilst we work with you to accurately submit your claims. 

Legal Help Fixed Fees and Escape Fee Billing 

Cost Law Services have dedicated Costs Draftsmen and Costs Lawyers  who can prepare your claims for Legal Help Fixed Fees and matters which become Exceptional.  We will welcome the opportunity to discuss this service with your firm. 

High Costs Case Plan

Cost Law Services have a dedicated team of Costs specialists who will assist in the preparation of your firms High Costs Case Plans.  The Legal Aid Agency has set a number of strict deadlines in which to work within.  The dedicated team will prepare your CLS CLAIM 1 for pre-contract work and working with your fee earners and liaising with Counsel will prepare the post-contract work for submission and approval from the Legal Aid Agency.  The vast experience that our team has will ensure that your firm's costs are maximised also allow your firm to continue with the conduct of litigation without the claim being delayed whilst preparing the plan.  Cost Law Services will in certain situations attend in your offices to prepare the same using our remote service technology. 

Call us on 020 3633 6261 to discuss you legal aid billing requirements.