This is a briefing note on a new consultation paper published on Wednesday (1st February) by the Costs Lawyer Standards Board.
Essentially, the Costs Lawyer Standards Board (CLSB) is consulting on 3 areas: Barriers to entry, CPD, and a new route to costs lawyer status.
The main proposals are:
Barriers to entry:
Raising the age limit for becoming a trainee costs lawyer from 16 to 18
Making it no longer obligatory to be a member of the ACL to become a trainee costs lawyer
Removing the requirement that a law degree/LPC/BPTC/CILEX have been obtained in the last 7 years to provide partial exemption from the Costs Lawyers Qualification
Introducing a proportionate reduction in fees for those with partial exemptions
Providing for the possibility of allowing competition in the provision of the Costs Lawyers Qualification
CPD:
Some clarificatory changes to what counts as CPD now that the SRA and BSB no longer offer accreditation for any courses
Introducing a new rule that Costs Lawyers must retain evidence of CPD for two years
Removing the 2 CPD points offered for reading the Costs Lawyers Journal and offering 2 CPD points for being a member of the ACL
New route to Costs Lawyer status:
Law costs draftsmen who can demonstrate 10 years’ experience of costs practice will be permitted to obtain costs lawyer status by taking a Costs Lawyers Competence Test (CLCT)
The CLCT is expected to be a multiple choice assessment. No detail is provided
Read the full content of the Consultation Paper published on 1st February 2017 here