CCMC – Costs and Case Management Conference
Find out about our advocacy services at CCMC hearings.
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What is a CCMC?
A Case Management Conference (CMC) takes place before a case goes to trial so that directions can be set. A Costs and Case Management Conference (CCMC) deals with the directions in the case, as well as costs within the case. At a CCMC hearing, Costs Budgets will be assessed if an agreement has not been reached between parties.
What Should Take Place Before a CCMC?
Before a Costs and Case Management Conference takes place, parties to the case should prepare their Costs Budgets. A Costs Budget will determine the amount of recoverable costs the receiving party expects to receive at the outset of litigation.
A statement of truth should also be completed by all parties to verify the Precedent H Costs Budget. Your Costs Budget should reflect the directions and length of trial which you are seeking. More information on what should be included within a costs budget can be found on our FAQs page.
Negotiation of your Costs Budget should also take place in the form of the exchange of Cost Budget Discussion Reports atleast 7 days prior to a CCMC. Costs Budget Discussion Reports are also known as the Precedent R and should set out which phases within the other party’s Budget are agreed, and those which are not, alongside reasons for the contested phases.
A Precedent R should be filed at least 7 days before a CCMC. If it is not filed within this time, the other side’s Budget will be assumed to remain uncontested and the full budget will be approved, albeit there are no sanctions detailed in the CPR for late filing of a Precedent R.
Parties to a case should engage in Cost Budget negotiations prior to the date of the CCMC and if the Budgets cannot be agreed, they should proceed to the CCMC stage to have the Budgets assessed and agreed by the Court.
It is important to note that there can be a substantial delay between drafting the Budget and receiving a notice hearing, which is why we would always recommend making sure Budgets are within 1 month of being up to date. There are no rules preventing a party from filing an updated Costs Budget, so long as they have complied with the original directions.
How do costs draftsmen assist with Costs Management Conferences?
Costs draftsmen play a key role in preparing for and supporting solicitors at Costs Management Conferences (CMCs). They ensure that the costs budgets (Precedent H) are accurate, reasonable, and fully justified before being submitted to the court.
Their assistance typically includes:
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Preparing or reviewing Precedent H budgets to ensure all phases reflect the necessary and proportionate work expected in the case.
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Drafting and analysing Precedent R (Budget Discussion Reports) to identify any areas of dispute and provide reasoned arguments to support or challenge costs.
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Advising solicitors on case strategy and budget presentation to maximise cost recovery or minimise exposure to the opponent’s costs.
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Attending the CMC (where required) to assist counsel or the solicitor in addressing the court on costs-related issues and defending the reasonableness of the proposed budget. A costs lawyer can also represent clients at costs hearings.
By ensuring that all documentation is compliant with the Civil Procedure Rules and well-prepared, costs draftsmen help achieve fair and proportionate budget outcomes at the CMC.
How Can ARC Costs Assist?
ARC Costs provide a professional cost drafting and advocacy service. We can assist by drafting a Precedent H Costs Budget, ensuring that all future costs are anticipated correctly, maximising your costs recovery. We can also assist in the preparation of a Precedent R, to correctly negotiate a Costs Budget. If your budget cannot be agreed, we can provide advocacy services at Costs and Case Management (CCMC) hearing.
We can be contacted by email at info@arccosts.co.uk, or by telephone on 01204 397302. For more information on legal costs, please find out more about our speciality areas of expertise and our services on our legal costs page.
What We Do Best
Our dedicated and experienced law costing team provide a wide array of legal costs services to fee earners and solicitors. Find out more by following the links below.
Bills of Costs
A well-prepared bill of costs should accurately explain the work undertaken and provide a defensible basis for recovery. Our costs draftsmen prepare bills covering fee earner time, disbursements and the relevant stages of litigation.
We review the supporting records, identify issues that may affect recovery and help present the claim clearly. Our service can continue through Points of Reply, negotiations and detailed assessment where agreement cannot be reached.
Costs Budgets & Management
Costs budgets need to reflect the proposed directions, anticipated evidence and resources required to conduct the case. Underestimating future work can create difficulties later, while unrealistic assumptions may undermine negotiations.
We prepare Precedent H budgets, assist with Precedent R budget discussion reports and advise on revisions where developments warrant them. Our costs lawyers can also provide representation at costs and case management conferences.
Points of Dispute
If you have received a claim for costs, we can examine whether the hours, rates and items claimed are properly recoverable.
We prepare points of dispute supported by the circumstances of the case, rather than relying on general objections. We also advise on settlement offers, the likely costs of continuing the dispute and whether further proceedings are proportionate.
Detailed assessment and advocacy
Where negotiations do not resolve the issues, our costs lawyers can assist with detailed assessment proceedings and representation within their authorised scope of practice.
Preparation includes reviewing the disputed items, supporting evidence and relevant authorities. We explain the strengths and weaknesses of your position so you can decide whether to settle or proceed.
Legal aid and specialist litigation costs
We support legal professionals with legal aid billing and costs claims, alongside work involving personal injury, clinical negligence, commercial litigation, housing disrepair and Court of Protection matters.
The appropriate approach depends on the funding arrangements, proceedings and applicable rules. We establish those requirements before preparing the relevant documents.
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