A service offering legal clients an alternative approach to resolving expensive and time-consuming costs disputes has been started by a team of Bristol-based specialists.
The range of services supplied by Legal Costs Resolutions’ (LCR) is designed to eliminate issues between disputing parties and help achieve a quicker, more efficient resolution than would be achieved through a traditional detailed assessment. 
LCR’s methods for resolving disputes – including early neutral evaluation, binding expert determination, facilitation and alternative assessments – help clients avoid detailed bills of costs and reduce repetitive and generic objections.
LCR is the brainchild of managing director Nick Lee and associate Lucy Baldwin from Paragon Costs Solutions, which advises national and international clients – including Top 100 law firms, banks and leading insurance companies – on legal costs disputes.
They have teamed up with two experienced barristers from Bristol’s Guildhall Chambers - James Wibberley, a commercial specialist who has dealt extensively with disputes in the county court, High Court and Court of Appeal, and personal injury claims and costs litigation expert Oliver Moore, who was a solicitor before transferring to the Bar. Both are recommended in Legal 500 and Chambers UK for costs litigation.
LCR’s launch comes amid growing judicial pressure for litigating parties to engage with alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods such as conciliation, mediation and arbitration which remove the need for cases to be dealt with in court.
Nick Lee, a former president of Bristol Law Society, said: “Legal costs are a consequence of a dispute and should not be the focus of the dispute, but the reality is that such disputes can often be expensive and time-consuming.
“The modern world requires a modern approach, and increasingly clients are looking for disputes to be resolved in such a way that saves costs and time.
“Costs disputes are led by costs lawyers and specialist costs counsels. LCR merges this expertise and offers a complete suite of ADR services which will either narrow the issues and therefore facilitate settlement or resolve the dispute entirely.
“Our panel of experts have conducted high value and complex costs litigation in courts and tribunals for many years. We have a wealth of experience in dealing with technical points of law relating to retainers, proportionality, hourly rates and costs management.
“The role of legal costs specialists has arguably never been more important. Our aim is therefore to form close working relationships with our clients and enable all parties involved in a dispute to benefit from a quick and cost-effective resolution.”
Pictured, from left: James Wibberley, Oliver Moore, Lucy Baldwin and Nick Lee
