Paul Hughes

Practice:

Costs
Personal Injury

What others say :

Paul is ranked for Costs Litigation in Chambers and Partners 2010, which credits Paul with being “a forward-thinking practitioner with gravitas beyond his years ."

Previous editions have recorded that he “is earning glowing reviews from clients ” (2008) who “are equally impressed with his abilities in technical matters and on his feet” ( 2009). “With a few more years under his belt, he will be a leading costs counsel” (2008) .

The Legal 500 2009 comments that Paul “has built a national practice in costs litigation ." Previous editions have noted that he has “established a large advisory practice for his 2001 call. "

Profile:

Paul has a busy costs practice, with a focus on achieving pragmatic and commercial solutions for his clients.

He is largely instructed by paying parties to attack costs although he maintains a balance of recovery work for receiving parties. He has recently become an Associate of the Association of Law Costs Draftsmen, one of only three barristers to do so (the others being fellow members of the Costs Team).

Paul undertakes both contentious and no-contentious work. In addition to providing representation at assessments, interim applications and appeals at all levels, Paul has a busy paperwork practice, undertaking a wide range of drafting and advisory work. He has experience of advising on substantial claims for cost in excess of £1m.

In the field of personal injury, Paul has extensive experience of providing advise and representation in all aspects of road traffic litigation, public and employer's liability, occupiers' liability and industrial disease. He is instructed by both claimants and defendants and undertakes a variety of fast-track and multi-track work.

Authorship:

Along with other members of Chambers Paul has, since early 2005, contributed to the Costs Brief for the New Law Journal.

Paul regularly delivers talks to Solicitors and Insurers on topics of current interest.

Significant Reported Cases:

Jones v Caradon Catnic Ltd [2005] EWCA Civ 1821 (enforceability of CCFA)

Blackmore v Cummings [2009] EWCA Civ 1276 (test to be applied in respect of interim payment applications)

Other Cases of interest:

McKee v Hamilton (2009, Hull CC, DJ Besford) (assessment of costs in low value (i.e sub £1,000 ) claim by a minor)

Mottershead v Liverpool CC (February 2007, Liverpool CC, DJ Smedley as Regional Costs Judge) (Claimant's

entitlement to Stage C premium after Rogers v Merthyr Tydfil County BC [2006] EWCA Civ 1134)

Marvin v BAA Plc (October 2006, Pontefract CC, DJ Giles) (definition of "exceptional circumstances within CPR

45.12)

Recommendations:

Chambers and Partners 2010 (Band Two)
Chambers and Partners 2009, 2008, 2007 (Up and Coming)
Legal 500 2007, 2008, 2009

Memberships:

Association of Law Costs Draftsmen
Personal Injury Bar Association
Northern and North Eastern Circuits

Career & Education:
University: Degree: Year of Call: Joined Chambers: Languages Spoken:	St Catherine's College, Oxford BA Jurisprudence 2001 (Inner Temple) 2002 Near fluent French and German, passable Spanish, active interest in other European languages

Career & Education:

University:

Degree:

Year of Call:

Joined Chambers:

Languages Spoken:

St Catherine's College, Oxford

BA Jurisprudence

2001 (Inner Temple)

2002

Near fluent French and German, passable Spanish, active interest in other

European languages