Victoria Fury
Costs draftsperson
Victoria is an in-house costs draftsperson, working alongside the firm’s solicitors. She has a rounded understanding of multiple types of claims from start to finish, both on a day-to-day case management level, as well as on a broader and long-term management level, and is accordingly able to provide a tailored costs service.
She largely deals with costs recovery for the receiving party in high-value personal injury and clinical negligence claims. Victoria also has experience in paying and receiving party costs relating to commercial disputes, contentious property litigation, employment claims, family disputes and housing disrepair.
I enjoy delving into the detail of a claim to fully understand the background and relevant issues when dealing with the costs involved; this ensures that I can achieve the best recovery for clients, whether a receiving or paying party. It is important to me to provide high quality and accurate work and advice, whilst adhering to any deadline.
Her work encompasses all aspects of costs management, including drafting cost budgets, preparation of budget discussion reports and negotiations, monitoring and advising on costs beyond the CCMC, and dealing with budget revisions. Victoria’s work also includes preparation of large and complex N260s, and specifically, she has vast experience of drafting and negotiating substantial bills of costs on settlement to include preparation of points of dispute and reply. She also provides ad-hoc advice on a variety of costs related issues. Victoria began her career in costs in early 2011 and has over 13 years’ experience.
Recent work highlights
Multi-million pound birth injury costs recovery
Costs budgeting for beneficial ownership matter
Costs recovery in contentious directors’ duties case
What people are saying
Penningtons’ costs team takes a strong, pragmatic and proportionate approach to detailed assessment. The preparation that goes in is exceptional.
Katie Barrass
Costs draftsperson
Services
Costs
Katie has experience in all aspects of the costs process, including preparation and negotiation of costs budgets (attending the CCMC when required); preparation of schedules of costs for various hearings, applications and mediation; attendance at costs mediation; and the preparation and negotiation of complex and high value bills of costs.
Where a costs claim cannot be settled through negotiation, Katie has experience in preparing detailed points of dispute and points in reply dealing with points in principle, including retainer/funding issues, and arguments over the time claimed. Her costs experience began in 2013, following three years spent as a personal injury claims handler and after working as a County Court advocate dealing with a variety of case types including approval hearings in personal injury and medical negligence claims.
I am a costs draftsperson and Cilex advanced paralegal preparing and advising on a range of costs claims. I have experience in particularly sensitive cases and have previously been sought out for my ability to present a detailed narrative showing understanding of such cases in order to justify the costs claimed.
Katie joined the firm in 2023, having previously worked in-house as a costs draftsperson and costs team manager at a firm dealing predominately with medical negligence, actions against the police and high-profile public inquiries. She also has experience in dealing with defendant costs, particularly in relation to cross-jurisdictional claims, and with group litigation. A key part of her role has been advising on costs issues and tactical points, with a focus on case progression.
Recent work highlights
Breach of contract claim
Greek maritime case
£5.4 million settlement
High profile inquiries
What our clients are saying
The Penningtons Manches Cooper team has a strong grasp of costs matters, and it is of particular benefit that their costs team is in-house, as this makes things more efficient for both parties.