Hong Kong Case Law: Decisions & Judgments

Topic

Solicitors' hourly rates

Legal area

Court

18 Mar 2024

THE JOINT AND SEVERAL TRUSTEE OF THE PROPERTY OF SO CHING WAN v. ASSEN LTD (NOW IN LIQUIDATION) AND OTHERS

Citation

[2024] HKCFI 851
Court

Court of First Instance
Case number

HCB4475/2002

The review was dismissed because the Applicant failed to show that Master Lai's taxation involved any error of law, disregard of principles, palpable factual misapprehension or reliance on irrelevant matters; Master Lai permissibly allowed two counsel fees (excluding a complimentary very junior brief), reasonably applied hourly rates, and appropriately taxed solicitors' fees down by 43.4%; the discovery summons and the application for leave to appeal out of time were dismissed as irrelevant and unjustifiably late respectively.
1 Feb 2019

SUZANNE RUTH HENDERSON v. SCOTT HENDERSON

Citation

[2019] HKCFI 299
Court

Court of First Instance
Case number

HCMP1780/2013

Applying the Rules and summary assessment principles the court allowed recovery of costs to the defendant for identified folios, applied pre-2018 hourly rates, made specific awards for Sections E, F and G and acting in person work, and ordered the plaintiff to pay HK$502,000 with interest from 14 April 2016.
16 Dec 2011

IRONWOOD OVERSEAS LTD v. LAM ROGERIO SOU FUNG

Citation

IRONWOOD OVERSEAS LTD v. LAM ROGERIO SOU FUNG
Court

Court of First Instance
Case number

HCA2545/2005

The court applied party-and-party principles to reduce excessive time and fee items while allowing necessary costs: solicitors' hourly rates were fixed at HK$4,000 (senior) and HK$2,200 (junior); specific time allowances for listed tasks were reduced; leading counsel MS's brief reduced to HK$400,000; JW's settling fee reduced and brief allowed; overall costs allowed to Lam were HK$651,800 for HCA2576/2005 and HK$17,333 for HCA2545/2005.
6 Jun 2006

RE MYRIAD GOLD CORPORATION

Citation

RE MYRIAD GOLD CORPORATION
Court

Court of First Instance
Case number

HCCW346/2002

The judge accepted the Registrar's reliance on his local experience and the Hong Kong Scale as the proper starting point for fixing hourly rates, applied a global approach to rates within bills, admitted limited additional evidence, and adjusted only specified rates and limited time allowances: Mr Stranger's rates increased to HK$2,300 for pre‑admission period bills and HK$2,500 for post‑admission period bills; Mr Kemp's rate left at HK$4,200; Mr Toms' rate left at HK$3,200; Mr Cotterell's rate increased to HK$3,200; most time deductions by the Registrar were upheld except one item increased…
30 Sept 2004

Man Lin Tai v. The Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

Citation

Man Lin Tai v. The Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works
Court

Lands Tribunal
Case number

LDRW14/2004

Because the settled compensation sum ($755000) was outside the District Court's jurisdiction at the time the costs were incurred, the High Court scale applies to assessment of remuneration; however, the costs of this application (and previously reserved costs) are to be taxed on the District Court scale because the remuneration claim itself falls within District Court jurisdiction. Specific allowances: draftsman 5 hours at $1,600/hr ($8000) allowed; handling solicitor rate allowed at $4,000/hr; one hour deducted from a 4h40m conference item; total solicitors' profit costs allowed $86851 and d…

Hong Kong Case Law

THE JOINT AND SEVERAL TRUSTEE OF THE PROPERTY OF SO CHING WAN v. ASSEN LTD (NOW IN LIQUIDATION) AND OTHERS

SUZANNE RUTH HENDERSON v. SCOTT HENDERSON

IRONWOOD OVERSEAS LTD v. LAM ROGERIO SOU FUNG

RE MYRIAD GOLD CORPORATION

Man Lin Tai v. The Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works