Meet The Team
Lisa Arbon-Donovan LLB (Hons)
Managing Partner
Costs Lawyer / Advocate
Lisa joined Knapp Richardson in 1993 and has over 30 years’ experience in all areas of costs. She advises not only upon solicitors’ costs (both inter partes, solicitor and own client), but also upon the costs of other experts, including the Accountancy profession, Receivers and Loss Adjusters.
Lisa has extensive experience in the preparation and justification of costs in a wide range of complex, high-value commercial, arbitration (UK and international), corporate and civil actions. She advises National and International government agencies, ranging from individual claims under the DTA/CJA & POCA, to multi-million-pound class actions. Generally dealing with high value and multi-jurisdictional actions, she is an experienced advocate in the conduct of contentious detailed assessments at all levels from the County/Crown Court through to the Supreme Court and Privy Council. She has worked on a number of high-profile costs matters in the UK in recent years and has experience in a number of other jurisdictions, to include the Channel Islands, Isle of Mann, DIFC, and other International Arbitrations.
Lisa also has extensive experience in dealing with the CPR Costs Management regime (Precedent H, Precedent R, Precedent T). She also provides advice for client estimates, for the purpose of Security for Costs applications, and third party funding. Lisa provides bespoke seminars to clients upon maximising recovery, and the impact of all changes in legislation, providing regular advice and updates within this constantly changing area of law.
Lisa is a contributor on the issue of Costs to Millington and Sutherland Williams on The Proceeds of Crime (Fourth Edition) and is an accredited training provider by the Costs Lawyer Standards Board.
Email: ladonovan@knapprichardson.co.uk
Reported Cases:-
Capewell -v- Revenue and Customs Comrs [2007] 1 WLR 386
Glatt & Ors -v- Sinclair [2013] EWCA Civ 241
Barnes -v- The Eastenders Group & Anor [2014] UKSC 26
Evans -v- SFO [2015] EWHC 1525 (junior counsel)
PAG -v- Royal Bank of Scotland [2018] EWCA Civ 355
Avonwick Holdings -v- Mkrtchan [2020] EWHC 1844
Vale SA -v- Steinmetz [2022] EWHC 343 (Comm)
Alan Bothwick FCILEx
Senior Law Costs Draftsman / Advocate
(Consultant)
Alan is a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives qualifying in 1977. He is also a Senior Costs Draftsman with over 40 years' experience in various areas of costs.
Alan has considerable experience in supporting, opposing and dispute resolution as regards costs, to include all types of civil litigation and non-contentious business. His wide ranging experience includes predominantly complex insurance litigation, personal injury, disease claims and large matrimonial matters. He has also worked extensively upon matters representing publishers, broadcasters and other media groups together with Claimants in defamation and privacy claims.
Alan is a very experienced Advocate in contentious detailed assessment before the County Court and the Senior Court Costs Office. Since 2000, when the additional liabilities in CFA funded claims became recoverable between parties, he has also gained an in-depth knowledge regarding the work carried out under Conditional Fee Agreements and dispute resolution, on behalf of both the paying and receiving parties and has been instructed or consulted in a number of high profile cases.
Email: abothwick@knapprichardson.co.uk
Notable/reported cases:-
Gazley-v-Wade & NGN [2004] EWHC 2675 (QB), Eady J.- use of non specialist solicitors in defamation work. King -v-Telegraph Group [2004] EWCA Civ 613 and Tierney -v- NGN [2006] EWHC 50,QB - proportionality & costs capping. Re:S (A Child) (Identification: Restrictions on Publication) [2004] UKHL.47- ECHR Art.10 freedom of expression. Radmacher -v- Granatino [2010] UKSC 42 - pre nuptial agreements on divorce.
Dave Draper BEng (Hons)
Costs Lawyer / Advocate
David graduated from the University of Surrey with an Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering with Business Management, and has been working in the field of legal costs for over 20 years.
David is a Fellow of the Association of Costs Lawyers having worked for a large City based insurance company, a number of national firms of Costs Lawyers and as a freelance Costs Lawyer prior to joining Knapp Richardson in November 2010.
David has extensive experience in the preparation, justification and opposition of a wide range of high value complex commercial/civil actions, to include, personal injury, commercial, clinical negligence, professional negligence, property, banking, insurance and re-insurance matters. In addition to this David undertakes audit work and is an experienced advocate.
Email: dwdraper@knapprichardson.co.uk
Kevan Hackett
Costs Lawyer / Advocate
(Consultant)
Kevan is a Costs Lawyer who has 35 years’ experience in all areas of costs. Kevan was trained in the Treasury Solicitors Office and has worked in-house at Masons (now Pinsent Masons) and Richards Butler (now Reed Smith Richards Butler) and has a predominantly City and Central London based clientele.
Dealing with all aspects of costs, including the preparation, and justification of, a wide range of complex costs claims in substantial commercial litigation, Privy Council/Supreme Court and matrimonial matters. Kevan has extensive experience and particular expertise in dealing with solicitor and own client disputes brought under the Solicitors Act 1974.
Kevan has experience of other jurisdictions having carried out a great deal of work in Ireland, Commonwealth countries, Scotland and Jersey.
Kevan’s extensive experience and straightforward, analytical approach makes him an excellent and well-respected advocate, he is also regularly instructed to provide expert costs advice.
He has considerable expertise in the conduct of contentious detailed assessments and throughout his career has been instructed in a number of high profile cases and multi-jurisdictional matters.
Email: khackett@knapprichardson.co.uk
Notable/reported cases:-
Aratra Potato Company -v- Taylor Johnson Garrett [1995] All ER 695
Sisu Capital Fund Ltd & Ors -v- Tucker & Ors [2005] EWHC 2170 (Ch)
Carver -v- BAA [2008] EWCA Civ 412
Bim Kemi AB -v- Blackburn Chemicals Ltd. [2004] EWCA Civ 1490
Robert King
Senior Law Costs Draftsman / Advocate
Robert is a Senior Law Costs Draftsman with over 30 years’ experience in all aspects of legal costs having worked for a number of Law Firms on the South Coast and in Central London, together with a City based Firm of Costs Lawyers and on his own account.
Valued for his sound and pragmatic approach, Robert is regularly engaged in the preparation of bills in all forms of litigation including high value complex commercial actions. He is also experienced in dealing with the co-ordination of high value, class actions and has dealt with a number of cross-jurisdictional commercial matters involving the UK, Channel Islands, Guernsey, Germany and Cypriot jurisdictions.
Robert has extensive experience in the preparation of points of dispute at all levels and provides regular consultancy services to various Insurance Companies regarding claims for costs. He is an experienced advocate in both supporting and opposing bills in the County Court and the Supreme Court Costs Office.
Email: rking@knapprichardson.co.uk
Notable/reported cases:-
The Queen on the application of (1) WL Congo (2) KM Jamaica v The Secretary of State for the Home Department C4/2009/0159, C4/2009/0157, C4/2008/2099 - (2015) Class action
MOD Defence Actions (concerning Intellectual property)
Roper & Others v Innovator (Class Action - 555 investors).
Caspian Oil -v- Naftiran Intertrade Company (Nico) Limited - cross-jurisdictional commercial (Crude oil swap litigation)
Cinque Ports Trading Ltd; (2) Modena Corporate Services Ltd; (3) Saunders & Fyffe Corp (4) Clifton Conroy Associates v FBME Bank Ltd
Skipp & others -v- Fred Olson Limited (Class action)
Jack Levin
Costs Lawyer
Jack is a Senior Costs Lawyer who originally joined Knapp Richardson in 2000 and now works as a senior consultant. He has over 35 years’ experience in all areas of legal costs, working alongside City, Central London and West End private clients to include insurance companies as well as Government Agencies including the Serious Fraud Office and the Crown Prosecution Service.
Jack prepares bills and claims for costs in cases in most forums in the UK and other jurisdictions including, Arbitration, Banking, Chancery Tribunals, Construction, White Collar Crime and multi-party litigation up to the Supreme Court and Privy Council. In addition to bill preparation, his primary practice involves challenging claims for costs on behalf of paying parties.
Jack has worked as part of a team with a number of overseas lawyers dealing with the costs aspects of high value, multi-jurisdictional litigation. His multi-jurisdictional experience includes working on costs issues arising from cases in Australia (Arbitration), British Virgin Islands Bermuda, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey, South Africa (Arbitration) and Kazakhstan.
Email: jlevin@knapprichardson.co.uk
Paul Vinsen
Senior Law Costs Draftsman / Consultant
Paul is a Senior Law Costs Draftsman and advocate with over 40 years’ experience in all aspects of legal costs. He has worked both in-house as a Manager and Senior Technical Advisor in a large multi-national firm and independently advising a number of City of London firms specialising in Shipping, Insurance, Re-Insurance, Construction and high value commercial actions.
Paul specialises in challenging costs and is an experienced Advocate. He regularly represents parties at interlocutory applications, CCMC’s and upon Detailed Assessment in the County Court, District Registries, the Senior Courts Costs Office, the Supreme Court and Arbitration Tribunals.
In addition to Paul’s opposition work, he has also assisted and advised upon some of the highest profile/high value cases in the High Court Chancery Division and Commercial Court involving worldwide freezing orders, committal proceedings and banking/ finance disputes.
Email: p.vinsen@knapprichardson.co.uk
Notable/reported cases:-
Berezovsky -v- Abramovich (High Net Worth Individuals Litigation, Costs in excess of £40m)
Dar Al Arkan -v- Al Refai (High Value Commercial dispute, Disclosure costs of more than £7m)
Polly Peck International -v- Stoy Hayward
Halloran -v- Delaney [2002] EWCA Civ 1258
TAG Test Cases [2003] EWHC 9020 (Costs)
Fairchild -v- Glenhaven Funeral Services (Mesothelioma) (Advocacy in House of Lords)
Lahey -v- Pirelli Tyres [2007] EWCA Civ 91
AB & Ors -v- British Coal Corporation (Vibration White Finger) (Advocacy for the DTI)
“MARCHIONESS” / “BOW BELLE” – Thames Collision
Sean Chaffe
Costs Lawyer
Sean is a Costs Lawyer and has been a legal costs consultant for more than 12 years. He holds a law degree and postgraduate diploma in legal practice.
Sean has been instructed on a number of high-profile, multi-million pound cases for both claimants and defendants, involving patent disputes (some of which required complex apportionment of costs), injunctions, tenancy disputes, administrations of trusts and estate claims, breaches of contract, applications for summary judgment, defamation claims, banking disputes, abuse cases, and judicial review matters, and including costs incurred across multiple jurisdictions.
Sean is able to offer the full spectrum of costs services to include drafting bills of costs (new and old format), points of dispute and points of reply, and all budgeting from drafting to negotiation and advocacy.
Email: schaffe@knapprichardson.co.uk
Oliver Walsh
Costs Lawyer
Oliver joined Knapp Richardson in June 2019 and qualified as a Costs Lawyer in February 2024.
Oliver has gained a wealth of experience in the justification and challenging of costs in a wide range of matters – from preparing Points of Dispute in modest housing disrepair matters to assisting in the preparation of multi-million-pound schedules and electronic bills at all levels (to include international arbitrations and in several jurisdictions).
Oliver has an excellent maths background and is extremely adept at spreadsheet work including data analysis and visual presentations. With current ethos and introduction of the mandatory electronic bill(s), this skill set, together with his professional and thorough approach, excellent technical knowledge and ‘can-do’ attitude, has made Oliver an invaluable member of our senior team.
Email: owalsh@knapprichardson.co.uk
Janet Batchelor
Practice Manager
Jan has been with Knapp Richardson for over 30 years and is responsible for the administrative and back office activities. She is provides fundamental support for all the team to include all administrative, financial and managerial tasks to enable the smooth running of the office on a day-to-day basis. She is one of our unsung heroes.