Paul Hughes
UK Bar Guide 2025
Band 2 : Costs Litigation
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
0345 034 3444Share profile
Band 2
About
Provided by Paul Hughes
Practice Areas
Paul is a highly experienced costs practitioner with an ever-expanding range of expertise. Whilst he maintains a busy and successful practice advising on the procedural law and the costs of high value clinical negligence and personal injury actions, including group litigation, he has considerable experience of advising on (and mediating) commercial and, recently, planning disputes. He is also an experienced cross-examiner, and is regularly instructed to deal with disputes concerning conduct, misconduct, wasted costs and non-party costs orders.
Since 2013 Paul has been heavily involved in assisting firms with managing the transition to the post-Jackson world, having given business advice and undertaken substantial non-contentious work in this regard. Nine years on, Paul still advises on managing 'broken retainers' and resolving disputes concerning the indemnity principle, from both the paying party's and the receiving party's points of view. As an advocate, Paul has appeared at all levels, from the County Court to Court of Appeal and has substantial experience of advising on, litigating and mediating claims for costs in well excess of £1m. He is keen to expand his practice further and, in that regard, has advised on the costs of an application in a highly-complex commercial claim of in the British Virgin Islands.
Career
St Catherine's College, Oxford, MA Jurisprudence, Year of Call - 2001 (Middle Temple).
Professional Memberships
Fellow of the Association of Costs Lawyers (FACL). Qualified Mediator and Panel Member of CADR
Publications
Paul regularly publishes articles of interest in professional journals and assists with the other members of the team in contributing to the ACL’s costs database.
Paul was a member of the Recruitment Committee in Chambers for 15 years and, together with Kevin Latham, has for the last five years edited the Costs section of the Civil Court Service (“The Brown Book”).
Chambers Review
UK Bar
Paul Hughes is a costs and litigation funding practitioner who specialises in procedural law and the costs of actions based on negligence. He is regularly instructed in complex disputes relating to misconduct, wasted costs and non-party costs orders. He has experience of representing clients at all levels, and frequently appears before the Court of Appeal. He is also a CADR-qualified mediator.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Paul is great to work with. He's personable, very knowledgeable, willing to put forward the best arguments he can, and someone who will have a fight. He's a pragmatic, sensible and polished advocate."
"Paul has a very good client manner and is thorough and surgical in his cross-examinations. Very easy to talk to, he makes you feel part of the team."
"A safe pair of hands who can expertly work his way through any issue you throw at him."
"Paul is technically gifted and knows costs inside and out. He is really intelligent and very persuasive on his feet. In addition, he's very personable and down to earth."
"Paul is great to work with. He's personable, very knowledgeable, willing to put forward the best arguments he can, and someone who will have a fight. He's a pragmatic, sensible and polished advocate."
"Paul has a very good client manner and is thorough and surgical in his cross-examinations. Very easy to talk to, he makes you feel part of the team."
"A safe pair of hands who can expertly work his way through any issue you throw at him."
"Paul is technically gifted and knows costs inside and out. He is really intelligent and very persuasive on his feet. In addition, he's very personable and down to earth."