Perusal charges

For accounts prepared on detailed fees, details of any documents perused should be clearly described in the work item narrative together with the number of sheets and the actual time taken to peruse the documents. For Schedule 5 detailed claims in civil and children’s legal aid cases the table of fees prescribes a fee for perusals and it is only if the document is greater than 12 sheets that a time charge will apply.

We find it helpful for the solicitor’s file note to be uploaded to the work item in support of any perusal charges claimed for, particularly where the documents that the solicitor required to peruse were detailed and/or significant in volume.

We will routinely disallow any fees claimed for perusing the same documents more than once. If fresh documents are included within the documentation perused, then a charge may be made for considering the fresh documentation only.

The perusal of incoming correspondence addressed to the solicitor/firm is not chargeable. The perusal of a letter is specifically excluded under Schedule 5 detailed civil fees and Schedule 1 criminal fees.