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How to Qualify as a Costs Lawyer

Costs lawyers are concerned with all aspects of legal costs, including costs payable by a client to his solicitor, costs payable between parties and legal aid costs. To act as a costs lawyer, an individual must be a qualified member of the Association of Costs Lawyers There are two elements to qualifying as a costs lawyer: completion of a level six academic qualification and a three-year period of qualifying employment.

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How to Qualify as a Costs Lawyer

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  1. How To Qualify As a Costs Lawyer

  2. Costs lawyers are concerned with all aspects of legal costs, including costs payable by a client to his solicitor, costs payable between parties and legal aid costs.. • To act as a costs lawyer, an individual must be a qualified member of the Association of Costs Lawyers There are two elements to qualifying as a costs lawyer: completion of a level six academic qualification and a three-year period of qualifying employment.

  3. Academic • The trainee costs lawyer course is divided into three separate units: assignments, compulsory seminars and an end of unit examination. • Trainee costs lawyers must complete each unit and attend all compulsory seminars before Association of Costs Lawyers Training will issue a Certificate of Completion for the course.

  4. The course is a Level 6 Qualification. In order to start studying, the trainee must be at least 18 years old and have one of the following or equivalent: • Four GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including English and maths; • Two A-levels and one GSCE, including English; • Three AS level passes, including either English or maths;

  5. GNVQ at intermediate or advance level (if a communications skills element is included); or • Passed a written aptitude test set by the Association of Costs Lawyers. • If a trainee costs lawyer has a qualifying law degree, or other relevant legal qualification. • They may qualify for exemptions from some of the course modules or units.

  6. This can reduce the time it takes to complete the qualification to 12 months, depending on the level and content of the qualification. • Qualifying Employment • To achieve costs lawyer status, at least three years of relevant experience in costs law and practice must be undertaken before, during or after study for the costs lawyer qualification.

  7. Obtaining work experience in an area such as litigation or costs law is very useful. • This could involve working in the costs department of a law firm, working as a legal intern, a legal assistant or paralegal with a workload that requires billing or budgeting. • Most trainee costs lawyers will be sponsored by their employer through their training programme.

  8. It’s possible to enrol onto the costs lawyer course without working in a costs department, but this is rare and will require an interview at the end of the training to ensure that the standards required to perform the job are met. • Completion of the Course • On successful completion of the course and qualifying employment, a trainee costs lawyer will have met the education and training requirements to become a qualified costs lawyer.

  9. The trainee will then be able to apply to the Costs Lawyer Standards Board for a costs lawyer practising certificate, under which they will be afforded the rights to conduct the following reserved legal activities under the Legal Services Act 2007: • The exercise of a right of audience; • The conduct of litigation; and • The administration of oaths.

  10. Professional Development • Once a costs lawyer has qualified and obtained a practising certificate, they must keep their skills and knowledge up to date by undertaking continuing professional development (CPD) activities each year. Such activities may include: • Writing articles for journals, such as The Costs Lawyer Journal, and other publications; • Researching and reading;

  11. Attending conferences and seminars; • Attending training and events; • Delivering training; and • Supervising trainee costs lawyers. • A costs lawyer’s practising certificate must be renewed annually, and they must obtain a minimum of 12 CPD points per year. • They must record and evaluate their CPD, reporting it to the Costs Lawyer Standards Board when requested.

  12. As a qualified costs lawyer, full membership of the Association of Costs Lawyers is available. Membership provides a range of benefits, including access to training, events and conferences, as well as the opportunity to network with other costs lawyers.

  13. Thank You For More Information Click Here www.athenelegal.co.uk

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