The people behind the work

Our experienced Costs Lawyers.

Our directors are qualified Costs Lawyers who bring close attention, clear communication and commercial perspective to every instruction.

Director & Costs Lawyer

Thomas Higginbottom

Thomas advises receiving parties on Bills of Costs, Costs Budgets and negotiations. He works with clients across the country, providing practical, responsive support and helping to manage matters efficiently from instruction through to settlement.

Having already completed the Legal Practice Course, Thomas qualified as a Costs Lawyer in 2024 as the costs landscape continued to evolve, particularly with the introduction of fixed recoverable costs and increasing procedural complexity. His background has given him a strong understanding of litigation and the practical pressures faced by solicitors and their clients.

Thomas is known for his approachable manner, attention to detail and ability to work effectively under tight deadlines. He takes a straightforward, client-focused approach and is committed to delivering clear advice and reliable support on every case.

Director & Costs Lawyer

Robert Collington

Robert is a qualified Costs Lawyer, regulated by the Costs Lawyers Standards Board and a member of the Association of Costs Lawyers. Having worked in the costs sector since 2010, he developed extensive experience across a broad range of litigation costs matters before qualifying as a Costs Lawyer in 2020.

Robert regularly deals with complex and high-value matters, including clinical negligence claims and complex commercial litigation. He advises clients on Bills of Costs, negotiations and costs management issues, providing practical and commercially focused support throughout the costs process.

Known for his thorough approach and attention to detail, Robert works closely with clients to achieve efficient and cost-effective outcomes while delivering a responsive and reliable service.

Robert Collington, Director and Costs Lawyer

A specialist Costs Lawyer service

Clear support through every stage of legal costs.

A Costs Lawyer is a regulated legal professional who specialises in the law and practice of legal costs. At Costs Lawyer by Arc Costs, that specialist knowledge is applied to the practical demands of live litigation. We work with solicitors, barristers, firms and parties who need reliable help with drafting, negotiation, procedure or a hearing. Our role is not simply to prepare a document. We consider the history of the case, the funding position, the work undertaken and the commercial objective before advising on the right way forward.

Legal costs can affect the strategy and outcome of a matter long before a case concludes. Early input from a Costs Lawyer can help identify risk, improve the evidence supporting recovery and keep the costs position under review. Where a deadline is approaching, we provide focused advice on what must be done and why. Where the issues are complex, we explain them in direct language so that the legal team and client can make an informed decision.

Our legal services cover both receiving and paying party work across a broad range of civil litigation. Every instruction receives director-level attention from a qualified Costs Lawyer. That means clients can discuss the detail with the person handling the work, receive candid advice and maintain continuity from the first papers through to settlement or assessment.

Costs budgets and assessment

Detailed drafting, grounded in the rules.

Costs budgets require more than figures entered into a precedent. A sound budget should reflect the likely course of the claim, the assumptions on which future work is based and the proportionality of the proposed spend. We prepare and review costs budgets, advise before costs and case management conferences, and help legal teams understand the effect of a costs management order as the matter develops.

When a case concludes, we draft traditional or electronic bills of costs that present the work accurately and support the receiving party’s claim. We also advise paying parties on the reasonableness and proportionality of the sums claimed. Our approach is informed by the Civil Procedure Rules, relevant practice directions and current costs decisions, but it remains focused on the facts and economics of the individual case.

In detailed assessment proceedings, carefully framed points of dispute can define the real issues and create a productive basis for negotiation. Replies should answer those challenges with equal precision and refer to the evidence that supports the claim. We prepare both documents, advise on offers and settlement, and remain available through the procedural stages leading to assessment.

Disputes and advocacy

A practical view of costs litigation.

Costs litigation calls for technical preparation and sound judgement. Not every point should be pursued, and not every dispute needs a hearing. We identify the issues most likely to influence the outcome, assess the cost of continuing and give straightforward advice on settlement. When a detailed assessment hearing is necessary, our Costs Lawyers can provide advocacy backed by thorough preparation and a close knowledge of the papers.

We understand that publicly funded work brings its own requirements. Our wider experience of legal aid costs, inter partes recovery and the interaction between funding arrangements helps us identify the correct route and the information needed. If an instruction falls outside our scope, we will say so clearly rather than offer a standard answer to a specialist problem.

Whether you need a single bill, urgent points of dispute or support throughout a complex assessment, you will receive a proportionate service. We agree the scope at the outset, communicate directly and keep attention on the result that matters to you.

Discuss a matter

Clear advice starts with a conversation.

Contact our Costs Lawyers