The website of the judges, magistrates and tribunal members in England and Wales

Home | About the judiciary | Key facts | Learning resources | Judgments and guidance | Publications and media

Timetable

The review will be conducted in three stages:

Phase One

Preparation of a preliminary report  (January – April)

• Meetings with court users and professionals;
• Consideration of any written submissions which may be received;
• Study of overseas costs rules

Organisations, professionals and court users were invited to submit written comments and information on the subject matter of this review for consideration in Phase One of the inquiry by 31 January 2009.

---

Phase Two

Consultation period and public seminars (May – July)

The principal purpose of the meetings held during the period May to July 2009 was
(a) to enable participants to express views about the issues raised in the Preliminary Report and (b) to provide a forum for discussion of those issues.

• Cardiff on Friday 19th June | Papers from Cardiff seminar
• Birmingham on Friday 26th June | Papers from Birmingham seminar
• Manchester on Friday 3rd July | Papers from Manchester seminar
• London on Friday 10th July | Papers from London seminar

There was also a series of informal topical seminars:

• After-the-event insurance, success fees and conditional fee agreements (Monday 20th July, hosted by Reynolds Porter Chamberlain)
• CLAFs, SLASs and contingency fees (Tuesday 21st July, hosted by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators)
• Fixed costs (a) in the fast track and (b) above the fast track (on Wednesday 22nd July, hosted by Eversheds LLP)
• Chancery litigation (Friday 24th July, hosted by Clifford Chance LLP)
• Judicial review and environmental claims (Monday 27th July, hosted by Herbert Smith LLP)
• Business disputes involving SMEs (Tuesday 28th July, hosted by Holman Fenwick Willan LLP)
• Case management and cost management (Wednesday 29th July, hosted by Mayer Brown International LLP)
• The assessment of costs (Thursday 30th July, hosted by the Supreme Court Costs Office Costs Practitioners' Group and Reed Smith LLP)

Further seminars and other meetings were arranged by various firms of solicitors and organisations.

Those who wished to submit a written response to the Preliminary Report for consideration in Phase Three sent in their submissions by 31st July 2009.

Submissions received after that date could not be accepted.

Sir Rupert extends his thanks to all those who participated in the consultation.  He is working on the basis that, unless notice to the contrary is given, he will be able to quote from the written submissions and verbal comments made during the review. 

• Note re written submissions received and meetings held during phase 2 (PDF 21kb)

---

Phase Three

Preparation of Final Report (September – December)