Book Description
In Lord Justice (Sir Rupert) Jackson's report, ’Review of Civil Litigation Costs: Final Report', (ISBN 9780117064041, January 2010 109 recommendations are put forward to promote access to justice at proportionate costs. This consultation sets out the proposals that the Government is taking forward as a priority. These include Sir Rupert's package of proposals on the reform of conditional fee agreements (CFAs) and on damages-based agreements (DBAs or ’contingency fees'). Sir Rupert also puts forward two alternative packages of recommendations should the primary recommendations not be implemented. These packages would introduce more rigorous control over the level of success fees and ATE insurance premiums that can be recovered from the losing side. The Government considers that the radical reform proposed in Sir Rupert's primary recommendation is needed, but these alternative measures are included in this consultation so that those responding can consider other options. This consultation also covers three other proposals from Sir Rupert's report. The first is to ensure proportionality of total costs. The second is allowing lawyers to enter into damages-based agreements (DBAs) with their clients in litigation before the courts. The use of these agreements is currently not permitted in litigation. However, the Government agrees with Sir Rupert that allowing DBAs would give litigants greater choice in deciding the most appropriate funding method for their case, and could increase access to justice for claimants if CFAs become less attractive. The third concerns increasing the hourly rate recoverable by a successful litigant in person.
