team

Alex Milne BA(Hons) Law
Director

Prior to starting this Practice, Alex worked for a number of years as a Senior Litigation Executive dealing with all aspects of criminal and civil litigation and, therefore, he is aware of the various difficulties that practitioners face on a day to day basis dealing with clients (at "your side of the desk").

He specialises in very high profile criminal cases, for example:

  • R v Stagg (Wimbledon Common Murder)
  • Leeds United (footballers' trial in Hull)
  • Simon Serafinovic (Nazi War Crimes trial — 1st in UK)
  • R v Michael Stone (Linda and Megan Russell)
  • R v Clegg (Serving Soldier in Northern Ireland)

More recently:

  • R v Terry Adams ("Adams Family")

Alex has, over the years, built up an excellent professional and working relationship with many Determining Officers around the country and the respective heads of NTT. Primarily, Alex deals, day in and day out, with "enhanced rate" cases where he understands substantial recovery of costs is extremely important to practitioners.

All Fee Earners maintain that quality of presentation and "attention to detail" maximises the recovery of costs.

Mark Blackburn BSc(Hons) Chem.
Director

Mark joined Alex in 1993 and specialises in Civil Litigation, including employers' liability, road traffic and public liability accidents and high value clinical negligence claims. His workload includes drafting Between the Parties bills; settling Points of Dispute and Replies; advising on amounts likely to be allowed on detailed assessment and Part 47.19 offers; negotiating Between the Parties; and conducting detailed assessment hearings.

Pamela Milne
Teacher (non-practising)

Pam deals with the less serious criminal cases which regularly fall to be determined on a Standard Fee or non-enhanced criminal cases.

Timothy Phillips BA(Hons)
Solicitor (non-practising), qualified 1994

Tim joined the team in 1996 and has been working as a Law Costs Draftsman since 1995. Tim specialises in Civil Litigation, including employers' liability, road traffic and public liability accidents and clinical negligence. His workload includes drafting Between the Parties bills; settling Points of Dispute and Replies; advising on amounts likely to be allowed on detailed assessment and Part 47.19 offers; negotiating Between the Parties; and conducting detailed assessment hearings.

Jon-Paul Burnett BA(Hons) Law and Business

Jon-Paul joined the team in 1997. Jon-Paul specialises in Civil Litigation including clinical negligence claims and catastrophic injury cases. Jon-Paul also specialises in claims in complex Children Act proceedings including High Court Care proceedings and Criminal Cost claims. His workload includes drafting Between the Parties and LSC Only bills; settling Points of Dispute and Replies; advising on amounts likely to be allowed on detailed assessment and Part 47.19 offers; negotiating Between the Parties; conducting detailed assessment hearings; preparing ex-post facto claims including claims for enhanced rates of remuneration; preparing Requests for Re-Determination and Central Funds claims.

Heather Hogg LLB(Hons)
Solicitor (non-practising), qualified 1982

Heather joined the team in 1996 and specialises in Family proceedings claims and complex care cases. Her workload includes preparing Bills of Costs for detailed assessment, Claim I forms, detailed notes in support of claims for enhanced rates of remuneration and appeals to the LSC.

Caroline Walmsley LLB(Hons)
Solicitor (non-practising), qualified 1984

Caroline joined the team in 2002 and also specialises in Family Proceedings claims and complex care cases. Her workload includes preparing LSC Only Bills of Costs for detailed assessment, Claim I forms, detailed notes in support of claims for enhanced rates of remuneration and appeals to the LSC.

Boyd Brad BSc(Hons), MSc, PhD

Boyd joined the team in April 2005 and specialises in Civil Litigation including clinical negligence, Care and Family proceedings claims and Court of Protection bills. His workload includes preparing Bills of Costs for detailed assessment, Claim 1 forms, negotiating on Between the Parties bills and advising regarding recovery of costs.

Stuart Hearn BSc Criminology

Stuart joined the team in June 2005. He specialises in Civil Litigation especially clinical negligence claims, Care and Family proceedings claims and Criminal Litigation claims. His workload includes drafting Between the Parties Bills of Costs for detailed assessment, LSC Only claims to the Court and LSC, Standard Fee claims and drafting Fastrak and non-Fastrak ex-post facto claims.

All our Fee Earners are supported by highly experienced support staff who have worked with the firm for a number of years.