Year of Call: 2005
Qualified as a Solicitor in 1992
Practice and experience
Paul began his career at Wragge and Co in Birmingham and then spent nine years in the commercial litigation department at Edge Ellison. After 4 years as an attorney at law in the Cayman Islands, he returned to the UK in 2005, transferred to the Bar and joined No 5 Chambers.
Since then he has developed his practice extensively and has achieved an extremely successful transfer to the Bar.
Paul is an established and recognised costs specialist. He understands the costs issues facing solicitors and clients in the current post Jackson climate.
Paul has acted or the Government since 2010. He was instructed to advise in relation to the costs issues arising out of the many claims against the Ministry of Defence brought by Iraqi civilians following the invasion of Iraq in 2003. He has considerable experience of issues arising out of the pre-action Protocols and the fixed cost regime. He is often instructed to appear on appeals and is frequently instructed on costs and case management hearings and detailed assessments. He appears in courts throughout England and Wales and regularly appears in the Senior Courts Costs Office and in the Court of Appeal.
Paul’s costs practice spans all areas of litigation including Personal Injury, Clinical Negligence, Commercial Litigation and Immigration.
Paul will accept instructions on Direct Access.
In August 2021, Paul was appointed a Deputy Costs Judge of the Senior Courts Costs Office in London.
Recommendations
“Paul Joseph is very experienced, always on top of the detail and well prepared.”
Chambers UK 2023
“Paul is an exceptionally good advocate and has a great ability to cut through the fog and quickly identify the important issues in a case. He gives good advice, and his written work is always of a high standard.”
Legal 500 2023
“A costs guru who revels in complicated cases.” “He is always happy to pick up the phone and give you some helpful advice.”
Chambers UK 2022
“In-depth knowledge of the practice area. Ability to give clear and concise straightforward opinions.”
Legal 500 2022
“Paul is always very well prepared and knows a lot about the nuts and bolts of costs work.”
Chambers UK 2021
“A hugely experienced and wise costs barrister with strong technical knowledge.”
Legal 500 2021
“Thorough and someone you can put a lot of confidence in. He goes beyond the call of duty in terms of dealing with each case.”
Chambers UK 2020
“He has a grasp of costs work that eludes most members of the Bar.”
Legal 500 2020
Reported Cases
AB/X -v- Ministry of Justice [2023] EWHC 1920 (KB)
application to remove the anonymity granted to a solicitor advocate whom the MOJ wished to report to the SRA for serious misconduct.
Tibbles –v- SIG PLC (T/A Asphaltic Roofing Supplies) [2012] EWCA Civ 518
extent of the discretion to vary or revoke an order pursuant to CPR Part 3.1(7).
Rangos –v- Secretary of State for Innovation [2012] EWHC 3186 (Ch)
dismissal of an appeal against Costs Master’s decision to award costs against a receiving party notwithstanding that it beat an offer under CPR Part 47.19.
G (a child by her mother and litigation friend, M) –v- Kingston upon Hull City Council (Lawtel 01/10/13)
applicability of SCCO guidelines on summary assessment to detailed assessments.
J E Jamaica –v- Secretary of State for the Home Department [2014] EWCA Civ 192. (Operation of CPR Part 52.9A).
Assaubayevs –v- Michael Wilson and Partners Limited [2014] EWHC 821 (QB) and [2014] EWCA Civ 1491
Extent of the court’s supervisory jurisdiction over bodies which pretend to be recognised legal bodies.
Rohan Ghising –v- Secretary of State for the Home Department [2015] EWHC 3706 (QB)
Appeal concerning the recoverability of a retrospective success fee.
R (Gudanaviciene) -v- Immigration and Asylum First Tier Tribunal [2017] EWCA Civ 352
Circumstances in which the court will make an order for costs against a Tribunal or inferior court.
AL (Albania) -v- Secretary of State for the Home Department [2018] EWCA Civ 1183
whether or not the Secretary of State had delayed unreasonably.
R (Jawad Faqiri) -v- Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) and Secretary of State for the Home Department [2019] EWCA Civ 151
AB -v- MOJ [2023] EWHC 72 (KB)
defending 4 applications for permission to appeal within detailed assessment proceedings, all of which were dismissed and declared to be totally without merit.
R (on the application of Jerry Isah) -v- The Secretary of State for the Home Department [2023] EWCA Civ 268
the extent and scope of summary assessment of costs.
Appointments
Deputy Costs Judge of the Senior Courts Costs Office
Attorney General’s Regional B Panel
Qualifications
BA and MA Robinson College, Cambridge
Law School: Chester
Solicitor 1992 – 2005
Solicitor Advocate (Higher Courts – Civil) 2001 - 2005
CEDR Accredited mediator
