Clarion’s costs team becomes only UK provider to achieve top ranking for three consecutive years

Clarion’s 30-strong costs and litigation funding team has again been rated as a top firm for legal costs services by legal rankings organisation Chambers & Partners, making it the only provider in the country to achieve Band 1 status for three consecutive years.

Partner, Andrew McAulay, who heads the Costs and Litigation Funding practice, has also been ranked as a leading individual for the third year in a row in band 1. He is joined in the prestigious ranking by Clarion colleague, legal director, Stephanie Kaye, making the pair two of only five leading individuals in the field in the UK.

Chambers & Partners’ report into costs lawyers was launched in 2019 to recognise outstanding work by legal costs teams who support law firms in all areas of costs law including costs management and detailed assessments. Law firms are ranked in bands from 1 – 3 and individuals in bands from 1 – 2. They are assessed on qualities including technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence and commitment.

The report praises the Clarion team “They are really approachable and you can ask them anything. They are very pragmatic and knowledgeable in their responses. They are market leaders. They are at the forefront of changing law and making things easier for practitioners.”

The accolade comes on the back of a stellar 12 months for Clarion’s costs and litigation funding team which has seen it grow to over 30 people and make four promotions with Joanne Chase promoted to legal director, Laura Gillin and Rob Patterson becoming senior associates, and Ella Wilkinson rising to associate.

“It’s fantastic to see the costs and litigation funding team going from strength to strength,” said Roger Hutton, joint managing partner of Clarion. “I would like to congratulate Stephanie Kaye on being listed as a leading individual this year – it’s a huge achievement for Stephanie and Andrew to be listed as two of only five leading individuals in band 1 across the UK and is a testament to their absolute professionalism and hard work.”

Andrew McAulay, who trained with Clarion, has over 20 years’ experience working in legal costs claims, and set up the costs and litigation funding practice at the firm in 2010. Used initially as an in-house resource by Clarion, the specialist service has grown to support over 200 law firms across the UK.

“I am extremely proud of the team and the first-rate product we have developed which supports a raft of law firms nationwide, allowing professional deputies and litigators to focus on their cases rather than being distracted by the legal costs rules and processes. In the last 12 months we have strengthened our national profile through an increase in work from London based law firms together with some international costs assignments. Our work remains varied and challenging which continues to help develop the team on both a personal and professional level.” said Mr McAulay.

Clarion’s costs and litigation funding team specialises in court of protection, commercial litigation and personal injury/medical negligence costs claims. They deal with the full spectrum of legal costs work, which includes costs management and detailed assessments. They act for both the paying or receiving party and are regularly instructed directly by lay clients, owner managed businesses and large corporates.

This year, Clarion again achieved a three-star accreditation in the prestigious UK’s 100 Best Companies to Work For scheme, and announced an impressive hat trick – in the first and second quarter of 2022, Clarion was recognised as the top company in Yorkshire to work for, took number one spot as the best law firm to work for in the whole country and also ranked second overall out of all the entrants in the large company category from across the entire UK.