Judge slashes claimant’s costs by 50% over solicitor errors
A London law firm must pay half its legal costs after a judge found it had inflated bills by more than 60 percent through calculation mistakes. Costs Judge Whalan ruled that Duncan Lewis Solicitors committed misconduct when preparing expenses for a client who fell and injured herself because of a broken sidewalk. The borough of Brent settled the case for 26,000 pounds and agreed to cover legal fees.
The firm first sought 208,583 pounds before submitting a formal bill of 140,430 pounds. Duncan Lewis charged rates 25 percent above what the contract allowed and billed senior-attorney hours for work completed while the lawyer held junior status. The attorney spent more than 9 hours preparing the cost statement, despite having 10 years of experience.
Whalan said the firm misrepresented expenses in ways that could have pressured the borough into an unfair settlement. Duncan Lewis blamed the errors on an untrained solicitor who no longer works there. The firm said it added mandatory review by cost specialists and improved training programs.
