Department profile
Costs
Litigation Support Guide 2026 : UK-wide
Rankings
Ranked Individuals
Ranked Individuals
Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
Work Highlights
Provided by Chambers
Practico Costs Lawyers advised Wiggin and its client, the Guardian Newspapers, on litigation costs management during the high-profile libel case brought by actor Noel Clarke.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
Practico is always super responsive, incredibly experienced and commercial. They give excellent guidance to me and my team on what we should do. I have been working with them for years now and their responsiveness and enthusiasm never wanes.
Costs respondentLitigation SupportPractico is simply the best in the business. They are technically excellent, astute and strategic whilst still being user-friendly and a delight to work with. There is nothing they cannot handle.
Costs respondentLitigation SupportPractico is very competent and responsive, well able to adapt to the changing dynamic of the dispute and always taking a commercial view as well as an analytical one.
Costs respondentLitigation SupportPractico has particular expertise in advising on costs issues arising in group litigation.
Costs respondentLitigation SupportPractico has the best costs lawyers in the market.
Costs respondentLitigation Support
Notable Practitioners
Provided by Chambers
Band 1 
Band 1 Andy Ellis
Managing director Andy Ellis is a highly regarded costs expert with over 30 years of experience in the industry. He regularly leads on Practico's most significant costs mandates.
Andy Ellis is very experienced and well respected.
Costs respondentLitigation SupportAndy Ellis is our firm's costs specialist of choice. He offers excellent service and is incredibly down to earth.
Costs respondentLitigation SupportAndy Ellis is a legend and the very best in the business. He knows everything there is to know about costs.
Costs respondentLitigation SupportAndy Ellis is one of the best costs experts in the country.
Costs respondentLitigation Support
Band 2 
Band 2 Francesca Ellis
Francesca Ellis is regularly instructed on a broad range of costs litigation matters.
Francesca Ellis has been my go-to costs lawyer for years. She is the full package: she's technically excellent, outrageously calm under pressure, incredibly funny and a delight to work with.
Costs respondentLitigation SupportIt is extremely reassuring to have Francesca Ellis on a case. She is extremely detail-driven and works excellently with the substantive matter team.
Costs respondentLitigation SupportFrancesca Ellis is a pleasure to work with.
Costs respondentLitigation Support
Band 2 
Band 2 James Heawood
James Heawood of Practico Costs Lawyers has almost 20 years of experience in costs. He is often involved in complex costs matters that emerge from significant and high-profile litigation.
James Heawood is a delightful costs lawyer. His client service is superb and nothing is ever too much trouble for him. I would have no qualms with instructing him on my most complex matters.
Costs respondentLitigation SupportJames Heawood is a well-regarded member of the Practico team. He has great legal and commercial knowledge and delivers his advice in a simple and easily digestible manner.
Costs respondentLitigation SupportJames Heawood is technically excellent and has a very deep understanding of the business.
Costs respondentLitigation SupportJames Heawood is brilliant and he does his own advocacy, which is rare.
Costs respondentLitigation Support
Ranked Individuals at Practico (3)
UK-wide
Andy Ellis
Costs
View profile Francesca Ellis
Costs
View profile James Heawood
Costs
View profile
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