Generated by Rank Math SEO, this is an llms.txt file designed to help LLMs better understand and index this website. # Harman GJK: Harmans are award-winning legal costs lawyers providing cost budgeting, bill drafting, and detailed assessment services for solicitors and law firms across the UK. We’re trusted for large legal cost claims and high-profile litigation support. ## Sitemaps [XML Sitemap](https://harmangjk.co.uk/sitemap_index.xml): Includes all crawlable and indexable pages. ## Posts - [CILEX Wins Mazur Appeal: Court of Appeal Clarifies Delegation in Litigation](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/cilex-wins-mazur-appea/): The Court of Appeal has handed down an important judgment in Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys, providing long-awaited clarity on the scope of the “conduct of litigation” under the Legal Services Act 2007. - [Harman GJK shortlisted for Costs Team of the Year at the LexisNexis Legal Awards](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/harman-gjk-shortlisted-costs-team-of-the-year/): Harman GJK is delighted to announce that the firm has been shortlisted for Costs Team of the Year at the LexisNexis Legal Awards. - [Women in Costs 2026](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/women-in-costs-2026/): Harman GJK is proud to be a sponsor of the Women in Costs 2026 conference. - [We’re hiring – join Harman GJK!](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/were-hiring-join-harman-gjk/): Harman GJK is a renowned, award-winning firm of Costs Lawyers, providing specialist legal costs services tailored to our clients’ needs. - [Merry Christmas from Harman GJK!](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/merry-christmas-from-harman-gjk/): Just a reminder that our office will be closed from 5.30pm on Tuesday 23 December 2025 and will reopen at 9.00am on Friday 2 January 2026. We hope you all enjoy a lovely festive break. - [Harman GJK ranked in the UK Legal 500 Solicitors Guide 2026](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/harman-gjk-ranked-in-the-uk-legal-500-solicitors-guide-2026/): We’re delighted to once again be ranked in the UK Legal 500 Solicitors Guide 2026. Thank you very much to those who provided feedback, you can see our full profile here. - [Sara Gould speaking at ACL London Conference](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/sara-gould-speaking-at-acl-conference/): We’re proud to share that Sara Gould will be speaking at this year’s ACL Conference, which returns to London on 7 November 2025. - [Former Charles Russell Speechlys clients succeed in overturning £10,000 costs order](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/julia-mazur-ors-v-charles-russell-speechlys-llp/): Court's Ruling on Costs - [CAT highlights vital role of Costs specialists in Class Actions](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/cat-highlights-vital-role-of-costs-specialists-in-class-actions/): We welcome the Competition Appeal Tribunal’s (CAT) recent recognition of the important role that costs specialists play in class action proceedings. At Harman GJK, we have been working alongside law firms, claimant groups and litigation funders for many years, providing expert support in this complex area. Our experienced team is ready to assist - please contact us to learn more. - [Harman GJK ranked in the Chambers and Partners Litigation Support Guide 2025](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/harman-gjk-ranked-in-the-chambers-and-partners-litigation-support-guide-2025/): We're delighted to once again be ranked in the Chambers and Partners new Litigation Support Guide 2025. Thank you very much to those who provided feedback, you can see our full profile here. - [Proportionality in Legal Costs: Ongoing Challenges](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/the-issue-of-proportionality-rages-on-and-its-not-just-the-parties-involved-that-feel-the-frustration/): DDJ David Hodson* had his say in a recent matter involving an application for interim maintenance and his comments (including a link to his referenced article) are included verbatim. - [A valuable insight into the costs budgeting process](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/a-valuable-insight-into-the-costs-budgeting-process/): A very interesting case has appeared on Bailli recently and reveals an interesting view as to how the Master in the case approached the fixing of a budget. - [Sara Gould highly commended in Costs Lawyer of the Year at Modern Law Awards 2025](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/sara-gould-highly-commended-in-costs-lawyer-of-the-year-at-modern-law-awards-2025/): It was very fitting in the run up to International Women's Day last week that we were celebrating one of our own! We're so proud of Sara Gould who was highly commended in the Costs Lawyer of the Year category at the Modern Law Magazine Awards. - [Claimant penalised for excessive and unrealistic costs budget](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/claimant-penalised-for-excessive-and-unrealistic-costs-budget/): The issue of a costs budget found to be excessive and unrealistic required a further hearing in order to consider what costs order was to be made following the CMC held on 15 May 2024. - [A timely reminder of the requirements of any challenge to the provisional assessment](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/a-timely-reminder-of-the-requirements-of-any-challenge-to-the-provisional-assessment/): It has been a number of years since, in an attempt to clear the significant backlog of bills awaiting assessment, that CPR 47.15 was introduced to allow for a provisional assessment of costs up to £75,000.00 (CPD 14.1). - [The importance of carefully considered Part 36 offers and the benefits of the same](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/the-importance-of-carefully-considered-part-36-offers-and-the-benefits-of-the-same/): Well that's the Summer done for another year; I returned to the office from the Great North (Canada, not Newcastle) to find that not too much has changed. - [Instruction of Leading Counsel in mesothelioma claim](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/instruction-of-leading-counsel-in-mesothelioma-claim-case-summary-by-gary-knight/): When it comes to instruction of King’s Counsel, Gary Knight considers the following decision.  - [Costs budgets](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/costs-budgets/): Costs Budgets continue to raise matters requiring appeals to provide guidance if not answers; Gary Knight looks at a case in which the Claimant experienced difficulties in addressing the Judge at the CCMC as to the content of the Defendant’s Costs Budget and took umbrage with the manner adopted by the Judge. - [Harmans are hiring!](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/harmans-are-hiring-2/): We’re looking for an experienced Costs Lawyer/Costs Draftsperson to join our team who is conversant in the new format bill and CostsMaster and who shares our commitment to providing the best legal costs service for our clients. Hybrid/remote working is available. - [Matthew Harman named in top 10 most influential Costs Lawyers across UK in 2023](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/matthew-harman-named-in-top-10-most-influential-costs-lawyers-across-uk-in-2023/): We're proud that Matthew Harman has been named in the top 10 most influential Costs Lawyers across the UK in Business Today's Lawyer Awards 2023. - [Harmans Costs Brief – November 2023](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/harmans-costs-brief-november-2023/): Welcome to the latest Costs Brief featuring our recent ranking in The Legal 500 as one of the 'Firms in the Spotlight 2024', some analysis from Partner and Costs Lawyer Gary Knight on two cases from the Court of Appeal and the Competition Appeal Tribunal involving the reference to Guideline Hourly Rates and also some information on Fixed Recoverable Costs. - [Guideline Hourly Rates: Latest Update](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/guideline-hourly-rates-2/): The nights are drawing in, there's a nip in the air so it’s a good time to snuggle down with two cases from the Court of Appeal and the Competition Appeal Tribunal involving the reference to Guideline Hourly Rates. Partner and Costs Lawyer Gary Knight takes a closer look. - [Application to Vary an Approved Costs Budget](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/application-to-vary-an-approved-costs-budget/): Partner and Costs Lawyer Gary Knight recently received instructions to assist with an application to vary an approved costs budget, he found the process of interest and so thought he’d share. - [Part 36 offers](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/part-36-offers/): It’s another commentary on Part 36 offers, this time by Harmans Partner and Costs Lawyer Gary Knight. - [Meet the Team – Matthew Harman](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/meet-the-team-matthew-harman/): The last of the Harmans partners to feature in our Meet the Team series is Matthew Harman. - [Meet the Team – Mathew Knight](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/meet-the-team-mathew-knight/): This week it's Mathew Knight under the spotlight. - [Meet the Team – Steve Jones](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/meet-the-team-steve-jones/): This week it's the turn of Steve Jones to take the spotlight in the latest instalment of our Meet the Team series. - [Meet the Team – Sara Gould](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/meet-the-team-sara-gould/): Our Partners are a surprisingly shy bunch but despite their protests we decided it was time to put them under the spotlight and find out a bit more about what makes them tick both in and out of the office. - [Matthew Harman on budget misconceptions](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/matthew-harman-on-budget-misconceptions/): In our final video installment of 2022 Partner and Costs Lawyer Matthew Harman takes a look at budget misconceptions and areas of confusion based on discussions he's had over the years with various fee earners at various firms. You can find the video on our YouTube channel, along with more videos from some of our other Partners, we hope you find them useful! - [Sara Gould on costs recovery](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/sara-gould-on-costs-recovery/): In the latest installment of our video series Sara Gould gives her top tips on how to maximise costs recovery. You can find the video on our YouTube channel, along with more videos from some of our other Partners. We hope you're finding them useful and if you have any suggestions of topics you'd like us to cover just let our Marketing Manager Vikki Knight know. - [Matthew Harman on proportionality](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/matthew-harman-on-proportionality/): In the latest installment of our costs video series Matthew Harman talks about proportionality. You can find the video on our YouTube channel, along with more videos from some of our other Partners, we hope you find them useful! - [For whom the Belsner tolls…do not let it toll for you](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/for-whom-the-belsner-tolls-do-not-let-it-toll-for-you/): In the unlikely event you have not considered the lengthy (23 pages) judgment of the Court of Appeal or indeed perused one of the very many detailed and informative summaries of the case Belsner v Cam Legal Services Limited or perhaps you are a visitor from another planet with an unusual desire to study England and Wales case law involving costs… then you are in luck as here comes another review. - [Broad brush budgeting](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/broad-brush-budgeting/): It has been a little while since a judgment dealing with Costs Budgets so it was nice to see on BAILII a decision from Mr Roger Ter Haar KC sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge in the TCC on 2 November 2022. - [Sara Gould on amending a costs budget](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/sara-gould-on-amending-a-costs-budget/): In the latest installment of our new video series Sara Gould talks about amending a costs budget, using the Precedent T and the benchmark for significant development and good reason. You can find the video on our YouTube channel, along with more videos from some of our other Partners, we hope you find them useful! - [Steve Jones on time recording](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/steve-jones-on-time-recording/): In the latest installment of our new video series Steve Jones talks about time recording in the context of costs budgets, electronic bills and paperless files. You can find the video on our YouTube channel, along with more videos from some of our other Partners, we hope you find them useful! - [The Costs Judge delivers…](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/the-costs-judge-delivers/): In the matter of Haskell Elias – v- Wallace LLP - [Matthew Harman on costs budgets](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/matthew-harman-on-costs-budgets/): In the second installment of our new video series Matthew Harman provides a few pointers to consider when preparing a costs budget. You can find the video on our YouTube channel, along with more videos from some of our other Partners, we hope you find them useful! - [Harmans talk costs](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/harmans-talk-costs/): Welcome to our new series of videos looking at all things costs. Two of our Partners and Costs Lawyers Steve Jones and Sara Gould are kicking off proceedings. Steve takes a look at how to overcome challenges to hourly rates while Sara talks about Part 36 offers including tips, tricks and pitfalls to avoid. You can find the videos on our YouTube channel, we hope you find them useful! - [When costs of the costs, cost!](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/when-costs-of-the-costs-cost/): Gary Knight looks at an interesting judgment from DCJ Colin Campbell involving the argument that summary assessment costs of £1,500.00 plus vat and court fee applied because the Claimant had "exaggerated" costs of the action. - [Be careful when preparing your CFA agreement – mistakes can be costly!](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/be-careful-when-preparing-your-cfa-agreement-mistakes-can-be-costly/): The wonderful resource that is BAILII continues to provide judgments in cases that matter. - [Beware the cost of “inadequate oversight”](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/beware-the-cost-of-inadequate-oversight/): Cabo Concepts Ltd v MGA Entertainment (UK) Ltd , concerns a claim for damages arising from MGA’s alleged breach of competition law and unjustified threats of patent infringement.  - [NHS Trust Loses Costs Dispute Over Solicitors’ Role](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/nhs-trust-loses-costs-battle-after-arguing-solicitors-skills-were-not-needed-once-counsel-was-instructed/): The NHS Resolution, representing the Paying Party (Defendant) in a recent costs assessment tried a novel approach to the challenge of the Claimant’s hourly rates, arguing, as one point amongst a number of preliminary points, that the rates claimed ought to be reduced following instructions to leading and junior counsel contending, as set out in their points of dispute, that the Claimant’s solicitors did not “have to exercise any more skill, effort and specialised knowledge than that of an un-specialised solicitor”. - [Autumn Update: Cost Law Highlights](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/autumn-update-2/): It’s been awhile since our last update and we just wanted to let you know how things have been going and what we’ve been up to. - [Harmans are expanding](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/harmans-are-expanding/): We’re looking for an experienced Costs Lawyer to join our team who is conversant in the new format bill and CostsMaster and who shares our commitment to providing the best legal costs service for our clients. - [Harmans Costs Brief – May 2021](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/harmans-costs-brief-may-2021/): Welcome to the latest Costs Brief which covers the third and final update following the Civil Justice Council's recent Guideline Hourly Rates report. We have been working with The Forum of Complex Injury Solicitors (FOCIS) to collate the relevant data to assist with their submission to the CJC. - [Harmans Costs Brief – March 2021](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/harmans-costs-brief-march-2021/): Welcome to the latest Costs Brief which discusses the recommendations for reform following the Civil Justice Council's recent Guideline Hourly Rates report. We have been working with The Forum of Complex Injury Solicitors (FOCIS) to collate the relevant data to assist with their submission to the CJC. - [Matthew Harman talks costs](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/matthew-harman-talks-costs/): Welcome to the first in a series of costs videos which will feature a different Harmans partner each time. Matt Harman kicks our series off with a look at the publication of the Civil Justice Council's report on Guideline Hourly Rates and gives his thoughts on its recommendations. - [Harmans Costs Brief – November 2020](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/harmans-costs-brief-november-2020/): This month's Costs Brief features High Court ruling on ‘significant development' plus the latest in the recovery plan for civil and family courts and tribunals. - [Autumn Update: Legal Costs Developments](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/autumn-update/): It's been a couple of months since our last update and we just wanted to let you know how things have been going and what we've been up to. - [Harmans Costs Brief – Q&As](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/harmans-costs-brief-qas/): This month's Costs Brief features some Q&As that came up in our recent online costs clinic that we thought might be useful to share. If you've got any other costs queries just let us know and we'll be happy to help. We've also covered the new costs rules and practice direction that come into force later this year as well as a change of plan for this year's London Legal Walk. ## Pages - [About Us](https://harmangjk.co.uk/about-us/): Harman GJK are a renowned and award winning firm of Costs Lawyers, providing a specialist legal costs service tailored to our clients’ needs. - [What We Offer](https://harmangjk.co.uk/what-we-offer/): In addition to the traditional services that you would expect such as preparation of bills, points of dispute, negotiations, replies and advocacy if required and attending detailed assessment, we also provide: - [Our People](https://harmangjk.co.uk/our-people/): Partners and Costs Lawyers Costs Lawyers Costs Draftsmen Marketing - [Experts in Clinical Negligence](https://harmangjk.co.uk/expertise/clinical-negligence/): Our specialist clinical negligence costs lawyers provide expert support on the full range of costs issues arising from complex and high value medical and clinical negligence claims. - [Experts in Commercial](https://harmangjk.co.uk/expertise/commercial/): Our specialist team of Commercial costs lawyers provide expert support in high-value and commercial costs disputes. - [Experts in Libel and Defamation](https://harmangjk.co.uk/expertise/libel-and-defamation/): Our specialist Libel and Defamation costs lawyers have extensive experience supporting clients through the complex costs issues that often arise in reputation disputes. - [Experts in Group Actions](https://harmangjk.co.uk/expertise/group-actions/) - [Experts in Personal Injury](https://harmangjk.co.uk/expertise/personal-injury/): Our Personal Injury costs lawyers provide expert support  on the full range of costs issues arising from personal injury matters where effective costs management is essential. - [Experts in Product Liability](https://harmangjk.co.uk/expertise/experts-in-product-liability/): Our specialist Product Liability costs lawyers have extensive experience and can provide expert support on the full range of costs issues arising from product liability claims, where litigation can be technically complex and high value. - [Experts in Human Rights](https://harmangjk.co.uk/expertise/experts-in-human-rights/): Our specialist Human Rights costs lawyers have extensive experience in human rights claims, where costs issues often require a careful and strategic approach. - [Experts in Industrial Disease](https://harmangjk.co.uk/expertise/experts-in-industrial-disease/): Our Industrial Disease costs lawyers provide expert support on the full range of costs issues arising from Industrial Disease claims. - [Experts in Actions Against the Police](https://harmangjk.co.uk/expertise/experts-in-actions-against-the-police/): Our specialist Actions Against the Police costs lawyers provide expert support on the full range of costs issues that often arise in these cases. - [Training & Seminars](https://harmangjk.co.uk/training-seminars/): Harman GJK offer regular free costs seminars, usually in London, which are nearly always fully booked and which have consistently proven themselves to be very helpful to attendees. We have previously invited guest speakers from a variety of backgrounds. Click the link to read some of the testimonials from our last seminar at The Law Society in London. You can register your interest for our seminars by emailing vikki@harmangjk.co.uk. - [Careers](https://harmangjk.co.uk/careers/): We are always interested to hear from industry professionals who share our commitment to providing the best legal costs service for our clients. If this sounds like you please send us your details and CV via the contact form below. - [News](https://harmangjk.co.uk/news/) - [Contact](https://harmangjk.co.uk/contact/): Have a question, feedback, or need assistance? - [Complaints Policy](https://harmangjk.co.uk/satisfaction/): At Harman GJK we pride ourselves on providing an excellent service and are dedicated to the continual improvement of our services. Occasionally however, things do not run as well as we would hope and, in such circumstances, we need to know about so that we can put it right and improve what we do in the future. - [Privacy Statement](https://harmangjk.co.uk/privacy-statement/): This policy explains when and why we collect personal information about people who visit our website, how we use it and how we keep it secure. - [Terms & conditions](https://harmangjk.co.uk/terms-conditions/) - [Cookie Policy](https://harmangjk.co.uk/cookie-policy/): This site uses cookies - small text files that are placed on your machine to help the site provide a better user experience. In general, cookies are used to retain user preferences, store information for things like shopping carts, and provide anonymised tracking data to third party applications like Google Analytics. As a rule, cookies will make your browsing experience better. However, you may prefer to disable cookies on this site and on others. The most effective way to do this is to disable cookies in your browser. We suggest consulting the Help section of your browser or taking a look at the About Cookies website which offers guidance for all modern browsers - [Home](https://harmangjk.co.uk/): Harman GJK is a specialist firm of costs lawyers based in the UK. We advise on complex disputes, cost budgeting, detailed assessment, and recovery strategy across a wide range of litigation, including commercial litigation, clinical negligence, and group actions. ## Our People - [Matthew Harman](https://harmangjk.co.uk/our-people/matthew-harman/): Matthew is a pre-eminent Costs Lawyer of over 30 years standing and a former Chairman and President of the Association of Costs Lawyers. Matthew’s reputation has seen him instructed on a number of high profile cases and group actions both home and abroad. Matthew is often asked to provide in-house training and deliver talks on a number of issues relevant to clients and the wider industry. Matthew’s relationships with clients, opponents and Counsel have been carefully fostered over 3 decades and is a key component in his ability to achieve excellent outcomes for clients. - [Sara Gould](https://harmangjk.co.uk/our-people/sara-gould/): Sara qualified as a Costs Lawyer in 2014 and became a Partner in 2015. She is regularly instructed on high value clinical negligence, commercial, product liability and human rights cases. Recently, Sara has been instructed on large scale group actions which involve working alongside third party funders and within the Steering Committees. - [Steve Jones](https://harmangjk.co.uk/our-people/steve-jones/): Steve joined Harmans in 2002 and became a partner in 2007. Steve is regularly instructed to prepare budgets and recover costs in high value clinical negligence and personal injury cases. Clients rely on Steve’s judgement and experience (gained over some 20 years) in ensuring timely and commercially advantageous outcomes. This is assisted by good working relationships with opponents and Counsel. - [Mat Knight](https://harmangjk.co.uk/our-people/mat-knight/): Mathew has over 20 years experience in the costing world acting for both claimants and defendants during the assessment process as well as during the substantive claims when costs management is involved.  Mathew became a Partner at Harmans in June 2012. - [James Scott](https://harmangjk.co.uk/our-people/james-scott/): James has been working in legal costs since 1989 and joined Harmans in 2004. He became a partner in 2005. - [Grant Wedlock](https://harmangjk.co.uk/our-people/grant-wedlock/): Grant has been working in the legal costs industry for over 11 years for a leading independent costs firm before joining the Harmans team in 2019. He has worked on a wide range of recovery cases for receiving parties and adverse matters for paying parties, gaining a balanced level of knowledge and experience from a Claimant and Defendant perspective. - [Noel Heslin](https://harmangjk.co.uk/our-people/noel-heslin/): Noel joined us in 2024 from DeNovo, where he worked for 9 years, and has significant experience in clinical negligence and high value complex commercial work. - [Henry Harman](https://harmangjk.co.uk/our-people/henry-harman/): Henry joined Harmans in 2020, working on a variety of recovery cases for receiving parties within Clinical Negligence and Personal Injury. Henry is in the process of qualifying as a Costs Lawyer. - [Vikki Knight](https://harmangjk.co.uk/our-people/vikki-knight/): Vikki joined Harmans in 2013 and has 25 years experience in the PR, marketing and communications industry. ## Testimonials - [Client reference: Chambers and Partners – Part 3](https://harmangjk.co.uk/testimonials/client-reference-chambers-and-partners-part-3/): Harman GJK provides consistently good service and is keen to answer any queries. - [Client reference: Chambers and Partners – Part 2](https://harmangjk.co.uk/testimonials/client-reference-chambers-and-partners-part-2/): Harman GJK provides consistently good service and is keen to answer any queries. - [Client Reference: The Legal 500 Recognition](https://harmangjk.co.uk/testimonials/client-reference-the-legal-500/): Harmans are a hugely talented and reliable costs drafting legal practice. They are always on top of developments, can adapt work to fit in with the timetable of members of our team and to provide documents that assist in the manner needed. - [Client reference: Chambers and Partners recognition](https://harmangjk.co.uk/testimonials/client-reference-chambers-and-partners-recognition/): Harman GJK is thorough. They work alongside us in a collaborative way which helps achieve the best outcome for us and them. - [Client Reference: The Legal 500 – Part 2](https://harmangjk.co.uk/testimonials/client-reference-the-legal-500-2/): They are an excellent team of costs lawyers who I have used for many years. They are very experienced and knowledgeable, with a rapid response time and great client care with nothing being too much trouble. They are very good advocates, too. - [Client Reference: The Legal 500 – Part 3](https://harmangjk.co.uk/testimonials/client-reference-the-legal-500-3/): An excellent firm of specialist costs lawyers. Very experienced and in my view the leading firm of costs lawyers for many years. Detailed and thorough bill drafting with very good advocacy at hearings and advice on costs offers. Nothing is ever too much trouble. - [Client Reference: The Legal 500 – Part 4](https://harmangjk.co.uk/testimonials/client-reference-the-legal-500-4/): An excellent firm of costs lawyers. Detailed and thorough bill drafting with very good advocacy at hearings and advice on costs offers, etc. Nothing is ever too much trouble and they have great strength in depth. They are always willing to assist and help out.