costs

Sydney law firm escalates fee fight with senior counsel

A Sydney firm and a senior counsel with a “longstanding professional association” have found themselves locked in a...

07 May 2026

By Naomi Neilson

In-house teams struggle to keep outside counsel costs on budget 80% of time

Cost overruns remain a persistent challenge for in-house legal teams, with Gartner finding that only one in five legal...

06 January 2026

By Grace Robbie

What 2026 really looks like for legal AI

The hype is getting old, or at least is becoming exhausting. First, widespread experimentation. Then the crisis. Then...

16 December 2025

By Ryan Zahrai

Small firms remain optimistic despite high stress, report reveals

Despite one in four (25 per cent) small businesses reporting use of personal savings to stay afloat, close to one in...

30 October 2025

By Carlos Tse

Court critical of costs in director’s fight with firm over ATO debt

Following a win against his former firm over $255,000 in tax debts, an NSW lawyer asked the court for a costs order of...

23 September 2025

By Naomi Neilson

PEXA seeks to recover $14m in interoperability costs

The future of competition in e-conveyancing is being thrown into further doubt, as PEXA reveals it is seeking to...

13 August 2025

By Annie Kane

Setting off previous proceedings’ costs may discourage pro-bono work, Federal Circuit and Family Court rules

The Minister for Immigration and another respondent sought to set off a costs order made in a non-citizen’s favour...

31 July 2025

By Sergio Zanotti Stagliorio

How law firms can stay profitable amid rising expenses and client pushback

Amid a peak period of financial and operational challenges, senior lawyers from national law firms are sharing key...

11 June 2025

By Grace Robbie

PLT 'rethink' required but changes to costs ‘unlikely’, says College of Law head

NSW Chief Justice Andrew Bell has intensified his push for changes to PLT and advocated for a price reduction, but the...

16 April 2025

By Grace Robbie

Struck-off barrister makes ‘scandalous’ claims to dodge costs order

An ACT barrister removed from the roll for throwing other lawyers under the bus was handed a costs order after he made...

01 April 2025

By Naomi Neilson

Wilkinson fails to hook referee costs on Network Ten

A court has tossed out an attempt by Lisa Wilkinson to have Network Ten foot the bill for a costs assessor who...

19 March 2025

By Naomi Neilson

$1.1m legal bill for Lattouf case burning a hole in ABC’s pockets

The ongoing unfair dismissal case involving the ABC and its former journalist, Antoinette Lattouf, is reportedly...

03 March 2025

By Kace O'Neill

High Court intervenes in costs decision for self-represented law firm

In a decision that could have wide-ranging implications for self-represented law firms, the High Court has decided...

07 February 2025

By Naomi Neilson

Record numbers of Aussies seeking legal assistance over housing problems

New figures have highlighted the growing number of Aussies reaching out for legal aid as cost-of-living and housing...

06 February 2025

By Kace O'Neill

‘Natural to expect’ firm costs will reflect AI-inspired efficiency

Not only should the increasing use of artificial intelligence by external providers have a flow-on effect on charge-out...

21 January 2025

By Jerome Doraisamy

Time and cost savings from GenAI beget ‘focus on more challenging, rewarding, and higher-value work’

New findings highlight the “transformative impact” that generative AI has on the spending habits of in-house legal...

15 October 2024

By Jerome Doraisamy

GenAI helping law departments cut costs, research says

New findings highlight the “transformative impact” that generative AI has on the spending habits of in-house legal...

08 October 2024

By Jerome Doraisamy

New laws ensure ‘courts aren’t just the realm of a wealthy few’

The A-G, unions, and the legal assistance sector are celebrating the passage of the Costs Protection Bill, which...

23 September 2024

By Jerome Doraisamy

Brisbane firm accused of ‘negligent’ handling of criminal case

A woman levelled several allegations at a Brisbane criminal law firm, including claims her solicitors provided...

24 July 2024

By Naomi Neilson

Firms that simply increase charge-out rates are selfish, fat, and lazy

Increasing prices is certainly one lever that can be used to help balance firm budgets, but I’d argue that law firms...

16 July 2024

By Travis Schultz