Forms

Application for Assessment of Costs

Client v Law Practice (DOCX, 33.6 KB) (FORM A1.1 )

Associated Third Party Payer v Law Practice (DOCX, 30.8 KB) (FORM A1.2 )

Retaining Law Practice v Billing Law Practice (DOCX, 31.8 KB) (FORM A1.3)

Non-Associated Third Party Payer v Client (DOCX, 32.8 KB) (FORM A1.4 )

Law Practice v Client (DOCX, 32.0 KB) (FORM A2.1 )

Law Practice v Associated Third Party Payer (DOCX, 35.0 KB) (FORM A2.2)

Billing Law Practice v Retaining Law Practice (DOCX, 33.8 KB) (FORM A2.3)

Application for Assessment of Ordered Costs

Party/Party (DOCX, 43.0 KB) (FORM A3)

Application for Review of Determination(s) of a Costs Assessor (FORM A4) (DOC, 49.5 KB)

Costs assessment fees

There are fees and costs associated with applications for a costs assessment.

There are separate, additional costs if a party to the initial costs assessment applies for a review of the costs assessor's determination.

Costs assessment application

To obtain a costs assessment, the following fees/costs are payable:

• a lodgment fee;
• the assessor's costs.

Lodgment fee

This is calculated on the greatest of the following amounts:

• 1% of the remaining unpaid bill(s) or invoice(s);
• 1% of the amount in dispute at the time the application is made;
• $100.00 - the minimum lodgment fee.

Assessor's costs

Assessors will charge for their time and associated costs (disbursements) in completing the assessment. The assessor's costs are additional to the application fee.

Assessors' time is currently charged at $313.50 per hour.

As a guide, assessors' costs are commonly in the range of $3,500 - $7,000 but may be more, depending on a variety of factors (for example: the amount in dispute and the complexity of the matter and/or objections raised).

One or more of the parties to the costs assessment may be liable to pay the assessor's costs and the lodgment fee already paid. The assessor has a broad discretion to determine who is liable to pay, and to what extent. They may consider, for example:

• the extent to which the assessed costs differs from the original bill(s);
• whether, in assessor's opinion, the parties made a genuine attempt to agree upon fair and reasonable costs;
• whether, in the assessor's opinion, a party caused unnecessary delay in the determination of the  assessment application.

Review application

The fees/costs associated with a review of a costs assessor's determination are separate and additional to those for the initial costs assessment application.

For the review process, the following fees/costs are payable:

• a lodgment fee;
• the review panel's costs.

Lodgment fee

The lodgment fee for a review application is $275.00.

Review panel's costs

A review panel consists of two assessors who review the initial assessor's determination. The review panel assessors will charge for their time and associated costs (disbursements) in completing the review.

Each assessor's time is currently charged at $313.50 per hour.

As a guide, review panel costs are commonly in the range of $4,000 - $8,000 but may be more, depending on a variety of factors (for example: the amount in dispute and the complexity of the matter and/or objections raised).

One or more of the parties to the review may be liable to pay the review panel's costs and the lodgment fee already paid. The review panel determines who is liable to pay those costs.