Page 11 - PIC-Magazine-Issue-22-Spring-Summer

In the previous issue we heard from chair of the Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL), Jack Ridgway, with an overview of the Association.
In this latest article, we hear from Laura Rees, a council member of the ACL and member of the ACL education committee on the relaunch of the Costs Lawyer Professional Qualification.
The first course offering the The period of qualifying work experience students need is two years and can
new Costs Lawyer Professional Qualification, representing a major shake-up of the Costs Lawyer training regime, launched with a new cohort last September, followed by a second cohort in February.
As a regulated profession, Costs Lawyers qualify with independent rights to conduct litigation and advocacy. The new course allows qualification in just two years, offering an attractive alternative route into the law for both graduates and non-graduates.
The skills a Costs Lawyer requires, including bill drafting and managing the costs of litigation, are very broad – and can be particularly appealing for those keen on advocacy and numbers.
To apply, students must be at least 18 and, as a result, the role may attract a wider pool of young people who may not previously have considered studying law.
The new Training Rules have been designed by the regulator, the Costs Lawyer Standards Board (CLSB), and approved by the Legal Services Board. The course is delivered by ACL Training, an arm of the ACL, and is the first and so far, only organisation to have its course accredited by the CLSB.
It is suitable for costs draftspeople, non- law and law graduates, paralegals, legal assistants, regulated lawyers and others interested in adding a qualification in costs law to their professional CV.
ACL Training deliver the two-year, part-time, online course that comprises a Diploma in Civil Practice, a Diploma in Costs Law and Practice and an Award in Costs Advocacy. Those with law degrees and other legal qualifications may be entitled to certain exemptions.
Its modular format provides students with greater flexibility in completing the course and those unsure about committing to the full course, or who want to develop specific areas of their costs knowledge, will be able to apply to complete individual modules.
be done before, during or after the course. Both elements were previously three years. Those who complete the qualification before their work experience will be granted conditional practising certificates.
This is an exciting moment for the Costs Lawyer profession. All too often when we talk about legal careers, we focus on the roles of solicitor and barrister. What does not get enough attention is the alternative legal careers available, or the qualifications available post-qualification for specialism,
of which costs law fulfils both.
That is why I was proud to see my ACL colleague, Amy Dunkley, appear in The Times last year as part of a feature on alternative legal careers. Amy is a senior Costs Lawyer at London law firm Bolt Burdon Kemp (BBK), which specialises
in serious injury claims. As part of her interview with the newspaper, she talked about some of the day-to-day aspects of her role, she said: “If you have a mathematical background and like data, it’s the perfect career. It’s very satisfying once you’ve costed a whole bill. It feels almost like creating an artform.”
The work of a Costs Lawyer is hugely important and utilises a wide range of skills. The profession should be loud and proud about the contribution it makes to legal services and, at a time when expert advice on legal costs is needed more than ever, I know that the qualification will serve individuals and employers, well.
I will leave the final word to Kate Wellington, chief executive of the CLSB: “With demand for costs expertise on the rise, a strong and independent Costs Lawyer profession is more important than ever.
The new regulatory framework for qualifying as a Costs Lawyer will equip practitioners with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in an ever-changing workplace.
We were pleased to see that ACL Training has devised a new course offering which meets our
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For more information about the course, please visit:
www.acltraining.co.uk
www.pic.legal Spring & Summer 2024 11