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Welcome to
ASK Legal Costing
New South Wales

Welcome to ASK Legal Costing. We are a boutique practice specialising in legal costing and have done so for over 30 years. We have in that time undertaken work for clients in excess of 1000 files.

 

Legal Costing is the area of the law dealing with the recovery of one's legal costs. These are either those sought by a Solicitor from his/her client for work performed, or, those that are subject to a court order by one party against another. The former are called "solicitor/own client" and the latter "party/party".

 

Success for a legal practice is dependent upon the ability to generate costs and to recoup those costs as soon as possible. A properly prepared Bill of Costs in accordance with the form required under the Legal Profession Act is essential (now the Legal Profession Uniform Law).

 

All too often completed files requiring Bills of Costs are left in abeyance for weeks or months. There is a further reluctance by Solicitors to utilise the services of a Legal Costs Consultant for reasons of added costs.

 

However, engaging a Legal Costs Consultant can often be more cost-effective as your expert in legal costing can spend greater time upon the file at a reduced rate resulting in more detailed bills and quantum. This invariably makes up for the additional fees and of course in party/party matters, most of these can be recovered from the paying party. Please check "Information on Legal Costing"  page.

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Who we are -
ASK Legal Costing

Our boutique practice was established in 1991 and we have specialised in legal costing for well over 30 years, prior to which our principal director Arthur Steve Kontalis practised as a litigation Solicitor for an additional 8 years. A cumulative period of over 40 years in the profession.

 

Originally based in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs before moving to Taree and then onto our present location on the Gold Coast where we have been based for many years, we continue to serve our New South Wales clientele exclusively. Our work is predominately sourced from our country and regional New South Wales colleagues. Our co-director is originally from Parkes in the Central-West. Please check "Who We Are - Our Principal" page. 

Our costing service

We are a para-legal firm specialising in the drafting of the documents required for the assessment of legal costs in both "solicitor/client" and "party/party matters. These are now referred to under the Uniform Laws as "uniform costs" and "ordered costs" respectively.

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We draft Bills of Costs that are predominately unrestricted and based entirely upon one's Costs Agreement and consequently can offer an attractive and substantially discounted rates for this work. Of course we also draft Bills that are subject to restrictions imposed by court scales or regulations (these attract a slight surcharge).

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By limiting ourselves to such drafting work and avoiding strict legal issues and contests, we can offer to you these discounted rates which are markedly lower than the norm in the profession.

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And of course Objections are if we may say, our most favoured work.

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We offer to you a range of legal costing services at very competitive rates, such as:

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  • Preparation of Bills of Costs for solicitor/client matters (NSW state & federal jurisdictions).

  • Preparation of Bills of Costs for party/party matters (NSW state jurisdiction).

  • Preparation of Bills of Costs for party/party matters (federal jurisdictions and other restricted scales) - on request.

  • Preparation of Objections, Replies, Submissions and Forms.

  • Preparation of Appraisals - on request.

  • Assisting on procedural aspects.

  • Excellent turn-around time with priority given to Objections.

  • Extended 3 month terms of payment, or more, if assessment is ongoing.

Our fees

Our discounted fees are as follows:

 

  • 5.0% on gross profit costs (excl gst) for the preparation of solicitor/client and party/party Bills of Costs based upon your Costs Agreement at commercial rates. This substantially discounted rate is for hardcopy files only*.

  • Additional 1.5% for electronic files*.

  • Additional 1.5% for party/party federal jurisdiction and other restricted scales.

  • additional 1.0% on gross profit costs to review Bill to party/party nett items (ie 2 bills).

  • $125.00 per hour for the preparation of Objections, Replies, Submissions, Forms, Appraisals on files, etc.

  • $500.00 minimum fee on each file.

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* Electronic files are charged with a 1.5% loading as they have increased the workload substantially. Unless your files have perfect chronological correspondence, it is likely that your emails include multiple duplicates and attachments often increasing the time engaged sometimes as much as twofold or even threefold.

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Plus added gst of 10%.

However, our boutique firm can presently offer fees exclusive of added gst - a further saving to you of 10%.

And we can give a rough estimate prior to commencing the work.

Please check "Our Services & Fees - Legal Profession" page.

Sending us your files

Why send your files to the Gold Coast ?

 

Your files will be costed by a former Solicitor with over 40 years of experience in the field of litigation and legal costing. The procedure is as simple as sending them from one side of Sydney Harbour to the other. Australia Post charges approx $30.00/10kg archive box registered mail from Sydney to the Gold Coast. Please check with your local franchisee.

 

We welcome receipt of your files in the traditional hard copy box(s), or by, electronic, usb, or combination of same.

 

As we said, our clientele are mostly from regional NSW, they and their regional association contacts being:

NSW Legal Costing Consultant

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Privacy Policy

Our policy is simple. We do not under any circumstances share any of your information with any person or body that has no connection with your legal costing application. Our files will only be given access to government authorities which by law may have a right of access.

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Disclaimer

We have in the preparation of this web used our best endeavours to give a general outline of legal costing and the services we provide but do not accept any responsibility for its content. We, as with all para-legal firms rely upon the entering into of a formal provider/client relationship with you. Thank you.

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Covid policy

As we do not require contact directly with you, no policy is warranted. 

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