Paragon are delighted to announce that Megan Roxburgh, Richie Rees, Rebecca Peters and Marc Harris have all successfully completed their exams and will shortly be in receipt of a practising certificate acknowledging them as qualified Costs Lawyers.
Costs Lawyers undertake a 3-year course consisting of written assignments and examinations requiring a pass rate of at least 50%. The aims of the course are to obtain general knowledge of each area of law studied, achieve detailed knowledge of the law and procedures relating to the costs subject studied, to develop skills of legal analysis particularly in relation to costs law and practice, to reach the level of competency and performance required of a Costs Lawyer and to learn valuable transferable skills. To complete the qualification they must also have achieved three years' work experience in costs law and practice.
Qualified Costs Lawyers are authorised under the Legal Services Act 2007 to undertake the reserved legal activities of the exercise of a right of audience, the conduct of litigation and the administration of oaths. They are regulated by the CLSB, required to undertake 12 CPD points each year, required to have a complaints procedure and must have a minimum level of professional indemnity insurance. This sets us apart from unqualified, unregulated and potentially uninsured Costs Draftsmen.
It has felt strange to have called this group Trainee Costs Lawyers as they have been performing tasks well above the level expected of Trainees. They have produce detailed bills of costs, complex costs budgets, conducted the detailed assessment process, undertaken advocacy, provided training to colleagues and clients and successfully negotiated many high value and complex costs claims. Their qualified status will enable this group to undertake more advocacy and they will be acknowledged by their clients as “qualified” experts in their field.
Paragon Costs are pleased to have supported and funded their qualifications. Our Trainees have demonstrated their commitment to this firm having undertaken this qualification mostly in their spare time whilst also maintaining their fee earning responsibilities. Our Trainees are the future of our business and they each have a very promising career ahead of them at Paragon.
I am also pleased to announce that Mark Holloway and Claire Winn have completed year 2 of their studies and now move into their final year. Claire has also completed her CILEX course which adds an even greater depth to her knowledge. We wish them all the best in their final year and look forward to acknowledging their success this time next year.
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