Bill of Costs Drafting: Why You Need a Specialist Costs Lawyer, Not a Generic Provider

When it comes to recovering legal costs, few documents carry as much weight, or require as much precision, as the Bill of Costs. Whether you’re preparing for a detailed assessment or negotiating a settlement, this document is your formal request for payment. Get it wrong, and you risk losing your entitlement to recover the costs…

When it comes to recovering legal costs, few documents carry as much weight, or require as much precision, as the Bill of Costs. Whether you’re preparing for a detailed assessment or negotiating a settlement, this document is your formal request for payment. Get it wrong, and you risk losing your entitlement to recover the costs properly incurred.

Yet despite its importance, some firms still treat costs drafting as an administrative task. Many pass it to in-house juniors, outsource to generalist costs services, or use automated templates. This can be a costly mistake.

In complex or high-value litigation, instructing a specialist Costs Lawyer to prepare your Bill of Costs isn’t just good practice, it’s strategic. Here’s why.

1. Accuracy and Compliance Are Not Optional

The modern Bill of Costs is no longer a simple narrative of work done. Since the introduction of the Precedent S format, the document must meet strict formatting, procedural, and content requirements. It must mirror the underlying budget (where one exists), distinguish between phases, and accurately categorise work by type, date, fee earner, and rate.

Specialist Costs Lawyers, like those at Knapp Richardson, understand these onerous demands. . We don’t just tick boxes: we ensure that the bill is accurate, structurally sound, procedurally compliant and fully defensible at assessment.

Generic providers often lack the nuanced understanding of CPR 47, the Senior Courts Costs Office Guide, or the latest case law interpreting what must (and must not) be included. That can lead to:

• Over- or under-claiming
• Incorrect categorisation of work
• Deductions for non-compliance
• Delays or adjournments at assessment

Put simply: recovering costs depends on getting this document accurate and fundamentally complying with the indemnity principle. .

2. Specialist Bills Maximise Recoverability

A well-prepared Bill of Costs does more than just itemise time: it tells the complete story. It justifies the work done, the time spent and the resources deployed. It anticipates and neutralises challenges, particularly regarding proportionality, duplication and  necessity.

Costs Lawyers are trained to record the time in a persuasive manner, grounded in legal strategy and procedural insight. They know how to:

• Highlight key phases where intensive work was required
• Identify and justify senior involvement
• Show a logical progression of work through the litigation timeline
• Minimise areas of likely dispute

This is especially important in multi-party litigation, cross-border disputes or High Court proceedings, where the sums are large and the scrutiny is intense.

At Knapp Richardson, our team works closely with your legal team to understand the case’s strategic context, ensuring that the Bill of Costs reflects not just time spent, but value delivered.

3. Technology Is a Tool, Not a Substitute

Automation is creeping into every corner of the legal industry, and costs recovery is no exception. But while technology can speed up the collation of data and check for simple errors, it cannot replace the judgement and tactical awareness of a trained Costs Lawyer.

Our team uses advanced Excel techniques and custom-built tools to streamline the process, but every bill is still reviewed and shaped by an experienced professional. Why? Because no system can yet:

• Understand the nuances of funding arrangements
• Apply judgment to what’s reasonable vs recoverable
• Reconcile Precedent H budgets with narrative bills tactically
• Predict where Points of Dispute will land, and build in defence

Too many firms rely heavily on templates and unreviewed exports from case management systems. That’s not only risky: it’s short-sighted.

4. High-End Cases Demand High-End Expertise

Many of our instructions at Knapp Richardson come from leading City firms, often acting in complex high-value commercial litigation, arbitration or group actions. These cases often involve huge volumes of disclosure, multiple teams and intensive specialist senior involvement.

Drafting a Bill of Costs in this context is a forensic task. The work must be meticulously analysed, sorted across teams and jurisdictions, and categorised according to the relevant budget phase, all while remaining proportionate, persuasive and court-compliant.

We’ve been doing this since 1984, and our team has worked on some of the most significant cases to pass through the Senior Courts Costs Office in recent years. We know what high-stakes costs litigation looks like, and how to prepare bills that stand up under scrutiny.

5. Continuity and Strategic Input

Instructing a Costs Lawyer to draft the Bill of Costs also opens the door to other costs services. At Knapp Richardson, we often act from an early stage in the litigation: advising on budgets, strategy and funding. Should a bill be required for assessment, , we already know the case inside-out and have a record of every stage which will ultimately reduce the time/costs necessary to produce a CPR compliant bill of costs.

Even if we are brought in at a later stage in the proceedings, our costs lawyers provide ongoing support through:

• Negotiations
• Replies to Points of Dispute
• Detailed assessment hearings
• Post-assessment appeals

This continuity allows for consistent arguments, faster preparation and fewer surprises. We advise through every stage of the process.

6. It’s About More Than Cost Recovery: It’s About Reputation

Finally, it’s worth noting that the Bill of Costs doesn’t just reflect the work of your costs team- it reflects the professionalism of your entire firm.

An error-ridden bill sends the wrong message. An accurate , well-reasoned, compliant and clearly presented Bill demonstrates control, competence, and clarity. That matters in today’s litigation landscape, especially when put before  a Costs Judges, arbitrators, and opposing parties.

At Knapp Richardson, our Costs Lawyers combine decades of experience, legal expertise and cutting-edge tools to deliver premium, bespoke bills that stand up to the closest scrutiny.
If your litigation team is preparing for assessment, or looking to recover what’s truly fair, simply contact us for more information.