Legal Services Payment Orders

The family court has jurisdiction both under its common law powers and by statute to direct that one party should meet the other party’s litigation costs during the course of litigation. The power may be exercised in appropriate circumstances to ensure that the more financially powerful party cannot gain a litigation advantage.

Applications for Legal Services Orders can be made in financial remedy proceedings and in schedule one proceedings. Our members are very experienced in dealing with these applications and can give early advice as to the merits of making or resisting or resolving such an application. If an application is made our members are able to present or resist such applications robustly.

Featured cases:

• TL v ML & Others (Ancillary Relief: Claim Against Assets of Extended Family) [2005] EWHC 2860 (Matthew Brett)