Year of call: 2019
John Meehan is an experienced costs practitioner, with a busy costs and litigation funding practice.
Prior to coming to the Bar, John worked in an award-winning international law firm as a Solicitor-Advocate practising exclusively in Costs. As a former Solicitor with almost a decade of experience, John is tactically astute and prides himself on providing practical and commercially focused advice.
John handles a full range of Costs matters with expertise on a wide range of issues including litigation funding, fixed costs challenges, conduct issues, proportionality, Solicitor and client assessments and costs issues arising from the administration of estates.
John has substantial experience of representing receiving and paying parties at detailed assessments including in high value, complex and multi-party assessments. He appears frequently before Masters of the Senior Court Costs Office, Regional Costs Judge and in the Appellate Courts. He prides himself on meticulous preparation and attention to detail.
John has detailed and practical knowledge of fixed Costs and is regularly sought out by clients to argue technical Costs issues arising out of such claims. He has developed a busy solicitor and own client practice with a particular focus on assisting Solicitor’s firms faced with challenges from former clients. Following the increase in such challenges, John has been heavily involved in assisting firms to update their funding arrangements and strengthen their business practices.
As a Costs Barrister, John regularly appears at Costs and Case Management Conferences (CCMCs), particularly in high value claims and where disputes have arisen as to costs budgeting.
John’s Court practice is augmented by his advisory and drafting work, including Points of Dispute, Replies to Points of Dispute and Statements of Case.
As a regular contributor to the legal press, John has written for LexisNexis and Litigation Funding magazine. In addition, he has provided a wide range of training seminars to legal organisations, including a number of the UK’s top 100 legal firms.
Acting as junior counsel for the appellant, led by Mr Ben Williams KC, in Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust v Hoskin (2023); a case concerning the requirement for a party to provide a breakdown of medical disbursements when serving a bill of Costs.
Instructed by the appellant before the High Court in O’Sullivan v Holmes & Hills LLP [2023] EWHC 508 (QB); successfully challenging the District Judge’s refusal to dismiss inadequately pleaded objections to a Solicitor’s bill of Costs.
Acting for the successful respondent beneficiary before the Court of Appeal in Brealey v Shepherd & Co Solicitors [2024] EWCA Civ 303, led by Andrew Williams, in a Solicitor/client costs assessment concerning the right of the Solicitor to charge for the work done as Executor in the absence of a charging clause in the will.
Representing the claimant in Brierley v Otuo [2023] EWHC 275 (SCCO) and successfully opposing an application that the solicitor’s bill of Costs was miscertified.
Instructed by the claimant in Wilkinson-Mulvanny v UK Insurance Limited [2023], which concerned the proper approach to the recovery of medical disbursements in fixed costs cases.
Acting for the successful claimant in a high value detailed assessment at the Senior Court Costs Office. The bill of Costs was assessed in excess of the claimant’s Part 36 offer resulting in significantly enhanced recovery.
Representing the claimant before the Regional Costs Judge in Foley v Bowler [2022], establishing the proper approach to the recovery of medical disbursements in the context of the RTA protocol following Greyson v Fuller [2022] EWHC 211 (QB).
Instructed by the successful appellant in Bingham v Seal Engineering (2021), overturning the decision of the Costs Judge to disallow a large ATE premium.
Acting for the successful claimant at detailed assessment and establishing that claims brought pursuant to the Equality Act 2010 are not caught by the EL/PL protocol, leading to a significant additional Costs recovery for the claimant’s Solicitors.
John has completed the Bar Vocational Course, achieving an overall grade of Very Competent, and the Legal Practice Course, achieving a Distinction. Upon completion of the Legal Practice Course, John was awarded the BPP Highest Performing Professional award for achieving the highest overall mark in his cohort. John also has a BA in Law with Politics from The University of Manchester.
Litigation Funding (October 2023) – The Overriding Objective – CPR 1
Litigation Funding (February 2023) – Costs Challenges By Beneficiaries
LexisNexis (Expert Panel) – How to serve a CPR-compliant bill of costs
LexisNexis (Expert Panel) – Are medical agency charges recoverable in fixed costs claims?
