The conventional method appropriate to taxing the bill of a solicitor in private practice is also appropriate for the bill of an in-house solicitor in all but special cases where it is reasonably plain that that method will infringe the indemnity principle. Such a special case will arise where a sum can be identified, different from that produced by the conventional approach, which is adequate to cover the actual cost incurred in doing all the work done. Such a sum may be identified by concession or, by the factual assessment of the taxing tribunal itself: but that possibility does not justify a detailed investigation in every case. The court warned as to the impracticality and undesirability of requiring a breakdown of all the activities and expenses of an in-house solicitor’s department: a process that, in the world of practical justice in which the taxation process moves, the adoption of the conventional approach was designed to avoid.
Judges:
Russell LJ
Citations:
[1975] Ch 112
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Cited by:
Cited – Richard John Cole v British Telecommunications Plc CA 4-Jul-2000
. .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Costs
Updated: 11 June 2022; Ref: scu.231260