Taxing Master cuts 'grossly excessive' legal bill in case against PIAB by 82%

[Brendan Burgess]

From today's[broken link removed]

A TAXING Master who granted only €393,472 of a €2.143 million legal bill expressed his “disgust and bewilderment” at the level of costs claimed.
Taxing Master Charles Moran made his comments in a recent ruling where he granted only 18 per cent of the amount sought. He described the costs claimed as “revolting in the extreme”.
...
“I can hardly find the words strong enough to describe my disgust and bewilderment at the level of these costs being claimed.”
Mr Boland would not comment when contacted. He said the ruling is being appealed and the matter was therefore sub judice.
...

The case involved an injured party, Declan O’Brien, and the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) and the fees were those charged by the team representing Mr O’Brien. In 2005 the High Court ruled that the PIAB could not deal directly with claimants who wanted to be represented by solicitors.
Mr O’Brien, of Tullamore, Co Offaly, was a meat factory worker who suffered an injury. His case was supported by the Law Society.
...
Figures released in 2008 showed that Patrick V Boland had received fees of €16 million by then from its work representing clients in Army deafness claims.

Further information:

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[Neg Covenant]

This is startling stuff. It will be interesting to know how the fees were assessed. Were they time recorded? Was there a legal cost accountant involved? Hopefully the appeal will tell all.

 

[dewdrop]

Do Solicitors/Barristers who charge excessive fees incur any penalty or sanction. What is the difference between this and say TDs who claim excessive mileage payments?

 

[Purple]

Do Solicitors/Barristers who charge excessive fees incur any penalty or sanction. What is the difference between this and say TDs who claim excessive mileage payments?

TD's make the laws, Lawyers tell them what they mean.

Pat Rabbitt spoke very well about this on the radio this morning on NewsTalk. He pointed out that the protected sector of the private sector was still living in dreamland charging grossly inflated fees. Lawyers, Doctors, Dentists etc.

 

[Kate10]

Oh please Purple. Say that to all the solicitors' practices closing and solicitors losing their jobs all over the country. Most private practice is extremely competitive. I don't do conveyancing because fees have dropped so low that it costs me to do the work - my insurance premium is loaded for 6 years after I do the work. It is just not worth it. This is an example of one solicitor's practice overcharging and again everyone is tarred with the same brush. Solicitors are such an easy target.

 

[JoeB]

Well, there's always an impression of being overcharged. My mechanic quoted 85 Euro an hour to diagnose a problem.. that's very excessive in my view and he won't be getting the work, I feel that price is unjustifiable.

 

[redbhoy]

TD's make the laws, Lawyers tell them what they mean.

How many TDs are involved in the Dáil? Im beginning to think that the Law Society is a Secret Cult that has taken over this country.

 

[TheRed]

I was charged over €400/hr by a small Dublin practice and then charged €5K for a SC opinion (1.5 pages long). To me, legal fees are exorbitant and it means that most people don't have access to justice for civil cases.

 

[Brendan Burgess]

The solicitors involved are appealing the Taxing Master's decision, but the barristers are accepting it

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[onq]

No surprises there.

Anyone know what the outcome of this was?

ONQ.

 

[runner]

As far as I know it I think it was in IT last friday that the Sols had dropped their appeal ( suprise!) and accepted the verdict.

 

[Green]

How many TDs are involved in the Dáil?

Very few are involved in the real business of the dail, i.e. legislation. The rest of them just push around a vast amount of poor quality social work which masquerades as democracy...

 

[Brendan Burgess]

[broken link removed]

A TAXING Master’s decision to cut the legal bill in a case by 82 per cent has been confirmed after the solicitors involved in the case withdrew their objection.

“Patrick V Boland and Son took this decision reluctantly. It acted in good faith throughout this process, and submitted its bill of costs through normal channels to an established taxing process,” the statement said.
“Due to the level of commentary which prevailed from the preliminary findings, we felt the interests of our clients were best served by focusing on our work rather than on a distracting appeal process.” The firm said it acted responsibly and professionally at all times in a case of national importance, which had secured the rights of citizens to legal representation before the courts in their dealings with the Piab.