Year of call: 2012
Erica Bedford is a sought after and experienced senior junior who practises exclusively in the law of costs.
She has specialised in this niche area since 2003, qualifying as a Cost Lawyer and Solicitor prior to transfer to the Bar. Her practical, astute advice, tenacious advocacy and technical capability are married with a personable approach, which together deliver a first-class service in all aspects of cost litigation.
She acts for both paying and receiving parties on matters arising from the full spectrum of civil litigation, she has significant experience in acting on costs cases arising from clinical negligence, high-value personal injury, and commercial litigation.
She has handled several significant appeals up to an including in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal on both between the parties matters and Solicitor Act matters.
She is regularly instructed to act alone on in high-value, technically complex assessments and budgeting hearings before the High Court, Regional Cost bench and in the Senior Courts Costs Office. She has considerable experience in managing retainer arguments, technical issues of procedural law and issues of misconduct.
She is regularly instructed to appear on assessment in the Supreme Court and has experience of the particular costs rules applicable to that jurisdiction.
Erica has significant expertise in Solicitor Act matters, regularly acting for both clients and solicitors. Arising out of this, she delivers business advice to solicitors and advises upon and drafts retainers, both conditional and non-conditional.
A member of CADR, she is an experienced mediator.
In 2019 she was appointed as Junior Counsel to the Crown being allocated to the Attorney General’s Regional B Panel.
Education and training have been life-long passions. She is regularly invited to speak at national events as well as delivering in-house training, including being invited to deliver the Key Note Speech and the 2023 ACL Conference in Manchester. She was previously retained by MBL Seminars to teach on Solicitor Act matters.
She was the recipient of the 2023 ACL Chairman’s Cup which recognises outstanding contribution to the cost profession.
In 2023 she founded the successful Women in Costs organisation which supports and empowers women in the cost profession to achieve their ambitions. The organisation runs an annual conference alongside a structured mentorship programme.
In 2024 she was invited to sit on the ACL Working Group Party looking at updates to Precedent G.
In addition to her busy practice at the Bar she sits as a Deputy Cost Judge in the Senior Courts Costs Office and as a Deputy District Judge on the Northern Circuit.
Oakwood Solicitors v Menzies [2024] UKSC34
Represented the Respondent before the Supreme Court on the correct interpretation of ‘payment’ for the purposes of s.70(4) Solicitors Act. Lead by Craig Ralph of Kings Chambers.
Heathcote v Asertis [2024] EWCA Civ 242
Represented the Appellant before the Court of Appeal on the correct approach to making a cost order where there is both success and failure in plural commercial claims brought under one claim form.
Micula v Romania [2020] UKSC 5 – (Detailed Assessment)
Representing the Receiving Parties on a 33 day detailed assessment before the Supreme Court in respect of the Supreme Court costs and in the Senior Court Costs Office in respect of the Court of Appeal and High Court costs in the exceptional arbitration and commercial proceedings between the Micula Brothers, the State of Romania and the European Commission.
Hussain v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2021] 12 WLRUK64 (Detailed Assessment)
Represented the Paying Party on a detailed assessment in the Supreme Court as to the correct interpretation of the Supreme Court Costs Guide RSC PD13 as to the recoverability of more than one counsel.
Boodia v Richard Slade (t/a Richard Slade & Co) EWHC 2963 (KB)
Represented the Appellant on appeal before the High Court as to whether a duty existed upon solicitors to explain and obtain informed consent to the delivery of interim statutory bills.
The Person or Persons Responsible for the Operation and Publication of the Website www.Bitcoin.org (including the person or persons using the pseudonym “Cobra” ) v Dr Craig Wright [2023] EWHC 2292 (Ch)
Represented the Appellant on appeal before the High Court as to whether the common law duty of open justice for a party to identify themselves to the Court and their opponent in order to take part in proceedings extended to detailed assessments.
Simpsons (Preston) Ltd (T/A Simpsons) v MS Amlin Underwriting Ltd [2023] EWHC 1370 (Comm)
Represented the Defendant Respondent in an application to vary the Cost Budget in the High Court. The Court addressed the threshold question of what amounts to a significant development.
Sellers v Simpkins [2023] EWHC 3296 (SCCO)
Represented the Paying Party Client in a Solicitor Act assessment on the question of whether the correct interpretation of the termination clauses in a CFA and whether the Client could rely upon an overall cap on costs in circumstances where they had terminated the retainer.
JXC v NIS [2023] EWHC 1000 (SCCO)
Represented the Solicitors on a Protected Party Assessment and addressed the question of the application of the presumptions in CPR 46.9(3)(a) and (b) in circumstances where the between the parties cost budget had been exceeded.
EVX v Smith [2022] EWHC 1607 (SCCO)
Represented the Solicitors on a Protected Party Assessment and addressed the question of whether the hourly rates claimed were ‘unusual’ for the purpose of CPR 46.9 such that informed consent had to be obtained from the client.
Allen v Brethertons LLP [2019] 5 WLRUK 135
Represented the Receiving Party in a Solicitor Act assessment and addressed the question of whether unqualified individuals acting under the supervision of a qualified Cost Lawyer were able to recover their costs given the provisions of the Legal Services Act 2007.
Oliver Havenga (a child suing by his Litigation Friend and Mother Julie Havenga) v Gateshead NHS Foundation Trust [2014] EWHC B25 (QB)
Represented the Respondent in the first appeal from the budgeting regime addressing the correct approach of the appeal court following a budgeting hearing.
Finglands Coachways Ltd v Sebastian O’Hare [2014] EWHC 1513 (QB)
Represented the Appellant on appeal in the High Court on the question of the correct approach to the application of the proportionality test.
Chambers UK 2025
“She’s phenomenal.”
“Erica Bedford is an absolute force to be reckoned with.”
“Erica is great in conference, great in court and great in terms of her written work.”
“She is very tenacious and certainly understands what is best for her client, having previously worked in private practice.”
“She has amazing insight and always keeps an eye on the commercial realities of running a point.”
Legal 500 2025
‘Erica’s advice is clear and helpful, her skeleton arguments focus on the issues with razor-sharp precision, she knows her subject inside and out, and always approaches her cases with passion and precision. Attention to detail is her modus operandi and it always pays off, as her breadth of knowledge, ability to communicate and advise productively, and her attention to the finer details is impressive.’
Chambers UK 2024
‘Erica is the epitome of what you want in a costs advocate. She has an incredible grasp of the technicalities in costs law, and her advocacy is both tenacious and extremely thorough.’
“Erica is a no-nonsense barrister who will always give her clients a firm opinion and very clear advice. She is able to deal with all types of costs work.”
“She is a formidable opponent.”
“Erica Bedford is a pioneer in the field. She has developed the area of costs law not only personally but for women generally. She is a sharp and precise advocate who packs a punch.”
Chambers UK 2023
“She has in-depth knowledge of the area and is a tenacious advocate.”
“She is a fearless, tenacious advocate who provides no-nonsense, common-sense advice to clients.”
“Erica has a strong depth of knowledge which is unparalleled.”
Legal 500 2023
‘Erica has great tenacity, drive, energy and client care, and she provides clear explanations and gets excellent results. She is a fearless advocate who is undaunted by any problems presented and she never fails to deliver.’
Chambers UK 2022
“Incredibly hard-working and knows costs backwards.”
Legal 500 2022
“Always well-prepared, with an eye for detail and technically excellent.”
Chambers UK 2021
“You always up your game when Erica is against you – her preparation is impeccable, she knows the case law and she’s a devil for the detail.” “Her written work is superb and the level of research she engages in is fantastic.”
Legal 500, 2020
“Always stunningly well prepared. Excellent advocate with great courtroom presence.”
“Can be relied upon to deliver excellent service in costs matters.”
Chambers UK 2020
“Her technical knowledge is second to none and is well beyond her year of call. When you instruct her you can have every confidence that she will do the very best for the client.” “Erica is a tenacious litigator. She has won consistently for us even when we thought we could not win, because of the power of her advocacy and arguments.”
Chambers UK 2018
“Erica is always willing to go that extra mile for her clients. She is a bright advocate and always a pleasure to deal with.”
Chambers UK 2017
“A skilled advocate who is professional in her manner and convincing both in her presentation to the court and in her advice to the firm.” “She is a strong advocate and a pleasure to work with.”
Chambers UK 2016
“Her knowledge of the CPR and case law is second to none and her application of case law to the problem in question is impressive. She is a formidable advocate, with lightning fast recall of case law and a rare ability to interpret the CPR.”
“Erica has a strong work ethic, a personable approach and the ability to provide astute advice on a variety of issues.”
Chambers UK 2015
“She’s got experience beyond her year of call. You get a lot more than you paid for, and she also gives the impression that she will work her hind legs off for you”
“She’s incredibly well prepared, very willing to help and excellent on her feet. She argues your corner until she’s blue in the face”
