Remember to include justification for any travel when submitting claims through the Client and Cost management System (CCMS).
The requirement for this detail is uniform across both the old paper-based claiming system and CCMS. Under CCMS, 13% of all secondary requests for information on billing issues are because we have not received an appropriate travel justification.
How to justify your claim
Here are some reasons you can use to justify your claim:
1. There is no local bar
Where there are no local chambers, or the number of chambers is small, counsel must provide details that there is no local bar.
‘There is no local bar’ would be an acceptable justification.
2. Continuity of counsel
The use of counsel already familiar with the case or the client will be considered reasonable justification for counsel to travel provided the nature of the hearing requires it.
‘Continuity of counsel’ with further details is an acceptable justification.
3. Counsel specialism
You should explain counsel’s specialism and why this case required such a specialist.
4. This list is not exhaustive
If none of these reasons apply you should detail the reasons why you were instructed instead of a more local counsel.
How much to tell us
Reasons provided only need to be two or three sentences long. They do not require a detailed description.
However, they must satisfy our billing requirements as laid out in the Electronic Handbook – see link below.
The justification can be handwritten in the response to the document request CCMS will send out or attached as a document within the task.
This does not change LAA’s rules on ‘local travel’ at chapter 3.15 of the Cost Assessment Guidance – see below.
Further information
Family Graduated Fee and Family Advocacy claim forms – to download documentary evidence checklist for CIV CLAIM5A
Legal aid guidance to download:
- ‘electronic handbook’ – chapter 6.8 for specific details
- ‘cost assessment guidance’ – general guidance on travel claiming
Civil news: local travel claims from 1 September 2014 – what is and is not allowable for ‘local travel’
CCMS training website – guidance on how to submit CCMS claims
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