Hong Kong Case Law: Decisions & Judgments | LexChat

Hong Kong Case Law

Hourly rates

  • 27 Jan 2021

    CHENG KWOK HUNG SAMUEL v. POON TUNG HOI AND ANOTHER

    Citation
    [2021] HKDC 4
    Court
    District Court
    Case number
    DCPI803/2017

    The judge found the Master had palpably misapprehended the facts by treating liability as not disputed and materially affected assessments. Exercising fresh discretion the judge varied the Master’s taxation: allowed revised hourly rates of HK$2,400 (pre-31/12/2017) and HK$3,460 (post-1/1/2018); allowed 30 minutes for pre-action general care and conduct; allowed full claimed post-action general care and conduct (45 minutes pre-2018 and 35 minutes post-2018 as claimed); allowed 5 minutes for consideration of the Hong Kong Observatory climatological report; disallowed counsel fees but allowed a…

  • 30 Sept 2020

    WZW v. CSLPC

    Citation
    [2020] HKFC 200
    Court
    Family Court
    Case number
    FCMC7214/2019

    The court allowed the respondent's statement of costs in the sum of $8,765 because the time claimed (2.25 hours) at the agreed hourly rate ($3,860) plus the agreed hearing fee ($80) was reasonable and preparation time was properly regarded as useful for the adjourned FDR hearing.

  • 17 Jan 2020

    WONG WAI WING v. 孟凡蓮

    Citation
    [2020] HKCFI 210
    Court
    Court of First Instance
    Case number
    HCMP1498/2016

    Applying the necessary or proper test and the broad-brush approach, the court found the hourly rates claimed were not unreasonable in light of Chief Justice approved rates, disallowed a modest 0.5 hour reduction for two attendances (PKN and Trainee Solicitor) and rejected other proposed reductions; the communications item (Item C) was reduced from HK$15,100 to HK$11,750 and the balance of the claimed costs were allowed, resulting in an award of HK$56,240 to the defendant.

  • 6 Oct 2017

    SHI JIAN, THE PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF YANG FEND, DECEASED v. DR LAM MAN HO

    Citation
    SHI JIAN, THE PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF YANG FEND, DECEASED v. DR LAM MAN HO
    Court
    Court of First Instance
    Case number
    HCPI128/2013

    The court exercised its discretion to order the plaintiff to pay further security for costs into court: HK$600,000 to cover the 1st, 2nd and 5th defendants and HK$300,000 to cover the 4th defendant, up to determination of the split trial, having adjusted and assessed hourly rates and allowed or disallowed specific items on the basis of complexity, necessity of counsel/expert involvement and reasonableness of entries.

  • 5 Apr 2017

    CHINACHEM FINANCIAL SERVICES LTD v. CENTURY VENTURE HOLDINGS LTD

    Citation
    CHINACHEM FINANCIAL SERVICES LTD v. CENTURY VENTURE HOLDINGS LTD
    Court
    Court of First Instance
    Case number
    HCA410/2013

    The court allowed the summons to restore the two untaxed items and proceeded to review; exercising its discretion under established taxation principles (HKCP 2017), it fixed the partner hourly rate at HK$5,000, reduced specific time allowances for MP bill items (allowing 45 and 10 minutes for the senior assistant solicitor), upheld the use of a two‑person team where justified and confirmed the assessed brief fee and refreshers for counsel; the reviews were dismissed and an order nisi for costs was made in favour of the plaintiff.

  • 2 Dec 2016

    WONG HON WAI v. THE SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE

    Citation
    WONG HON WAI v. THE SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE
    Court
    Court of First Instance
    Case number
    HCPI664/2009

    Weighing complexity, extensive reliance on experienced counsel and proportionality to the amount settled, the taxing master reasonably fixed the solicitor's hourly rate at HK$4,000, disallowed travel to the plaintiff's home and various items as excessive or unnecessary, refused transfer of disallowed party-and-party costs to the common fund, upheld the bulk of original taxation decisions and allowed only a HK$120 downward revision to expert item 400; plaintiff ordered to pay costs of the review to the defendant.

  • 10 Dec 2015

    YUNG TAI YIN v. CHAN YUEN TUNG AND ANOTHER

    Citation
    YUNG TAI YIN v. CHAN YUEN TUNG AND ANOTHER
    Court
    Court of First Instance
    Case number
    HCPI1225/2014

    Applying the two-stage summary assessment approach and adopting a broad-brush methodology, the court found the claimed costs disproportionate on a party-and-party basis, scrutinised each item for necessity and reasonableness, allowed reductions and disallowances on multiple items and assessed total recoverable costs at $100,950, ordering the plaintiff to pay that sum to the 2nd defendant.

  • 7 Dec 2015

    BEYONICS TECHNOLOGY LTD AND ANOTHER v. GOH CHAN PENG AND OTHERS

    Citation
    BEYONICS TECHNOLOGY LTD AND ANOTHER v. GOH CHAN PENG AND OTHERS
    Court
    Court of Appeal
    Case number
    CACV244/2014

    The court allowed the defendants' application in part and summarily assessed the defendants' recoverable costs at HK$381,228, reducing the claimed hourly rates to HK$4,200 (JK), HK$3,800 (PS), HK$2,500 (BN) and HK$1,200 (legal executive), and reducing particular time entries where excessive or duplicative while allowing counsel fees and disbursements where justified under the hypothetical counsel test; the assessment included costs of the leave application and, by consent, the stay application.

  • 27 Apr 2015

    MELVIN WAXMAN v. LI FEI YU AND OTHERS

    Citation
    MELVIN WAXMAN v. LI FEI YU AND OTHERS
    Court
    Court of First Instance
    Case number
    HCA1973/2012

    Applying the two-stage summary assessment approach, the court found the overall claimed costs disproportionate and assessed each item on necessity and reasonable quantum. The court fixed party-and-party hourly rates for LCS at HK$3,100 and zht at HK$1,100, reduced or disallowed duplicative time entries, allowed a apportioned counsel fee of HK$4,500 for the Amendment Summons, adjusted specific items B1, C1, D1, D2, D3 and E1, and ordered the plaintiff to pay HK$9,711 to the Subject defendants.

  • 17 Jun 2014

    MESSRS BAKER & MCKENZIE v. HENNEX INDUSTRIES LTD AND OTHERS

    Citation
    MESSRS BAKER & MCKENZIE v. HENNEX INDUSTRIES LTD AND OTHERS
    Court
    District Court
    Case number
    DCMP809/2014

    The court accepted the applicant's choice of fee earners and an hourly rate of HK$2,600, reduced the claimed hours for communication from 4.8 to 3.3 and professional work from 15 to 9.2 (8.2 for perusal/preparation/research and 1.0 for hearing), allowed manual work of HK$1,384, disallowed the unutilised HK$500 disbursement, and summarily assessed the applicant's costs at HK$33,884 to be paid out of the disputed sum forthwith and to be in the cause of the interpleader proceedings.