Kevin Latham

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Year of Call: 2007

Litigation, Funding & Costs

Practice Areas
Kevin is fast developing a sizeable costs practice and he is still at a stage of development when he deals with all areas relating to costs, but is already obtaining a reputation for competence in the following areas: 

• Additional liabilities;
• Conduct and misconduct;
• Costs of personal injury claims;
• Detailed assessments;
• Drafting work (including Points of Dispute);
• Interest between opposing parties;
• Fixed costs;
• Litigants in person;
• Orders for costs;
• Points of principle in disputes between opposing parties;
• Points of principle where proportionality is an issue;
• Procedural law, election and evidence;
• Wasted costs and/or third party costs orders.

Profile

In the relatively short period of time that he has been practising, Kevin has gained a good understanding of the law and practice of costs. Clients and more senior members of chambers have been particularly impressed by his written work, which is always clear and well researched; this makes him an excellent choice for cases involving points of law where there is a need to keep costs to a minimum (such as lower value disputes).

Having previously worked for a Manchester firm of costs draftsmen and in-house at a national firm of solicitors, he is able to understand client's needs in every aspect of costs litigation. Kevin has experience of drafting all forms of costs pleadings, including (unusually for Counsel) bills of costs.

Kevin understands the importance of continuing professional development, and is undertaking a course of postgraduate study in the law of costs. He maintains a strong interest in the ever developing case law surrounding conditional fee agreements and the intricacies of the fixed costs regimes.

Cases:

Morley v Northumbria Water Ltd, Newcastle CC, December 2009, HHJ Lancaster (sanction for failure to comply with the Solicitor's Code of Conduct in an inter partes costs assessment)

Staniforth v Byrne, Preston CC, December 2009, HHJ Appleton (the effect of non-compliant Part 36 offers)

Akhtar v Slisko, Bradford CC, November 2009, HHJ Spencer (the court's jurisdiction to revise costs orders)

Personal Injury

Practice Areas:

Credit Hire Claims;
Employer's Liability;
Fraudulent Claims;
Law and Procedure;
Low Velocity Impact;
Occupier's Liability;
Public Liability;
Phantom Passengers;
Road Traffic Accidents;
Staged Accidents.

Kevin's experience is wide ranging and includes high volumes of trial work on the Fast Track and other Multi Track work involving catastrophic injury claims, road traffic accidents (including claims involving the Motor Insurers' Bureau), industrial disease, employers' liability and public liability.

Kevin has a wealth of experience in road traffic accidents where fraud is alleged and has developed a keen interest in cases involving alleged staged accidents and phantom passengers.

As Specialist Costs Counsel, Kevin is often able to identify potential costs issues early on in the litigation process, and is thus able to tactically advise clients how best to protect their interests at an early stage.

Kevin has substantial experience of taking active briefs at Inquests in the Coroner's Court where civil and/or criminal proceedings are anticipated. He has also appeared regularly before the Tribunals Service for Compensation Recovery Unit (CRU) Appeals.

Publications:

"Following Protocol" Personal Injury Law Journal P.I.L.J. (2010) No.86 June Pages 9-14 (An article highlighting the salient factors of the new RTA Protocol).

Memberships:

Northern Circuit

Career & Education

University of Hull; 2003 - 2006; LLB (Hons) II:i.

Manchester Metropolitan University; 2006 - 2007; Bar Vocational Course: Very Competent.