Delaying the taxation of a bill of costs can quietly cost your firm thousands. Many attorneys treat taxation as an afterthought. But leaving it too long can lead to unrecoverable fees, lost disbursements, and damage to your firm’s reputation.
Financial Impact
Every day you delay taxation, your cash flow suffers. Disbursements like counsel fees, sheriffs’ charges, and expert reports often come out of your pocket first. If you don’t tax in time, you might never get that money back. In some courts, time limits apply. If you miss them, your bill may be disallowed completely.
Procedural Risks
A delayed bill opens the door for objections. Opposing attorneys may argue that the delay is unreasonable. The taxing master may refuse to tax the bill at all. You also risk losing the moral high ground. A delay makes your claim seem weak or disorganised.
Reputational Damage
Late taxations reflect poorly on your firm. Clients may lose trust. Colleagues may question internal systems. Write-offs increase, and cost recovery drops. In a competitive legal market, that kind of inefficiency is dangerous.
What You Can Do
Treat cost recovery as part of your litigation strategy not admin. Flag deadlines. Don’t let months pass before instructing someone to draft your bill. Use experts. BriefCo prepares compliant bills of costs in just 5 days. We help firms recover fees quickly and efficiently.
The cost of doing nothing is high. Late taxations lead to lost revenue, missed deadlines, and weakened credibility. Act early. Recover fully. And get the support your firm deserves.
Contact BriefCo today and never miss a cost recovery opportunity again.