Generally, you have one month from the date you received the bill to request a detailed assessment as a right. After that, you can still apply to the court for an assessment, but you will need to show good reason. The sooner you act, the stronger your position — so it's worth contacting us as soon as you have concerns.

A detailed assessment is a formal court process in which a costs judge reviews your solicitor's bill line by line and decides what charges are reasonable. It is one of the most effective ways to challenge inflated legal fees and is handled by our specialist Costs Lawyers on your behalf.

No. Even if you have already paid, you can still challenge a solicitor's bill. If the assessment finds that you were overcharged, any excess you already paid can be recovered from the solicitor. Having paid the bill does not mean you have accepted it was reasonable.

We operate a contingency fee model. You pay nothing upfront. If we successfully reduce your solicitor's bill, we charge 20% of the saving achieved, plus VAT. For example, if your bill is reduced by £50,000, our fee would be £10,000 plus VAT. Court fees, counsel's fees and other third-party costs are payable separately.

Challenging a bill is a legal right, not a complaint. Many of our clients have already finished their matter with the solicitor, so there is no ongoing relationship to protect. Where there is, we handle the process professionally and without unnecessary conflict.

Almost any type of solicitor's bill can be assessed — including conveyancing, family and divorce proceedings, personal injury, probate and wills, employment disputes, and commercial matters. If you've received a bill you feel was too high, it's worth getting it assessed regardless of the area of law involved.