Judgment Insight: Grade A Over-Involvement Attracts Cost Scrutiny – How INNEG Helps You Avoid It
By Michelle Mitchell, Marketing Manager at INNEG
In a recent decision (XX & Anor v Young & Anor [2025] EWHC 680 (SCCO)), the Costs Judge delivered a clear message: the unnecessary involvement of senior (Grade A) solicitors in routine, lower-value tasks invites challenge – and reductions.
The judgment shines a spotlight on a recurring issue in costs assessments: inefficient task delegation. Where a Grade A solicitor was found heavily involved in file management, document collation, and communications – tasks that could and should have been carried out by junior staff – the court didn’t hesitate to reduce the recoverable time.
This wasn’t just a passing comment. It was a key theme in the detailed assessment. The Judge noted that while delegation is recoverable in principle, where senior fee earners are running the matter and duplicating or undertaking basic administrative or communication tasks themselves, costs will be scrutinised and reduced accordingly.
“There is little to no justification in a Grade A solicitor becoming involved in the more basic aspects of running a case when capable junior assistants are available”. – Costs Judge Nagalingam
How INNEG Reduces This Risk
At INNEG, we act as an extension of your legal team, taking on many of the routine but essential medico-legal tasks that often fall outside recoverable costs when handled by senior solicitors.
Our team manages:
- Medical record collation, storage, and transfer
- Pagination and chronology preparation
- Expert liaison and appointment coordination
- Document tracking and file management
By outsourcing these tasks to INNEG, you ensure that your Grade A and B solicitors can focus their time on what matters – substantive legal work that’s both impactful and recoverable.
The Takeaway
Judgments like XX v Young are a reminder: efficiency isn’t just good practice – it’s cost protection. With INNEG, you gain a trusted partner who helps streamline your claim handling while safeguarding your costs recovery.
We’re here to support you
Want to reduce unrecoverable time and stay on the right side of the costs judge? Contact us to see how INNEG can support your next claim.
