PD-2024/1 – Practice Direction 1 of 2024 - Guidelines Relating to the Taxation of Costs (SL 37 of 2023)

Grand Court Act (2015 Revision) PD 1 OF 2024 - GUIDELINES RELATING TO THE TAXATION OF COSTS (SL 37 of 2022) GRAND COURT PRACTICE DIRECTION No 1 of 2024 (GCR O. 1, r. 12) GUIDELINES RELATING TO THE TAXATION OF COSTS (GCR O. 62, r. 16)

This Practice Direction concerns taxation of costs on the standard basis in respect of work carried out by attorneys on or after 1 January 2024 and, in respect of such work, paragraph 3 of Practice Direction No 1 of 2011 and paragraph 7.3 of Practice Direction No 1 of 2001 shall no longer apply. In respect of taxation of costs on the standard basis in respect of work carried out by attorneys before 1 January 2024 paragraph 3 of Practice Direction No 1 of 2011 shall continue to apply and taxation of costs on the standard basis in respect of work carried out by attorneys before 1 June 2011 paragraph 7.3 of Practice Direction No 1 of 2001 shall continue to apply.

Save for the amendments effected by this Practice Direction, Practice Directions No 1 of 2001 and No 1 of 2011 shall continue to apply.

The hourly rates to be applied will continue to be determined on the basis of the postqualification experience of the person engaged as follows: Civil Division and Family Division More than 20 years Up to CI$697 or US$850 Between 15 and 20 years Up to CI$615 or US$750 Between 10 and 15 years Up to CI$492 or US$600 Between 5 and 10 years Up to CI$410 or US$500 Fewer than 5 years Up to CI$328 or US$400 Articled Clerks and Paralegals Up to CI$205 or US$250 Financial Services Division and Admiralty Division More than 20 years Up to CI$1,025 or US$1,250 Between 15 and 20 years Up to CI$902 or US$1,100 Between 10 and 15 years Up to CI$820 or US$1,000 Between 5 and 10 years Up to CI$697 or US$850 Fewer than 5 years Up to CI$533 or US$650 Articled Clerks and Paralegals Up to CI$328 or US$400 In each case these are maximum rates. If in any proceedings, or part of proceedings, in the Civil Division or in the Family Division the judge is satisfied that the proceedings, or that part of the proceedings, were unusually important or unusually complex, (s)he may certify that with respect to any one or more of the persons engaged the maximum allowable rates shall be those applicable in the Financial Services Division. In any proceedings in any Division, the taxing officer may, in the exercise of his/her discretion, determine that rates lower than the maximum rates are appropriate in any particular case. The number of years post-qualification experience for attorneys shall be reckoned from the date upon which the attorney was first admitted to practise as an attorney in the Cayman Islands or as a professional legal adviser elsewhere, whichever is the earlier. King’s Counsel shall be treated as attorneys having more than 20 years of post-qualification experience. Issued by the Rules Committee on the 6 December 2023 The Hon. Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale, Chief Justice The Hon. Samuel Bulgin, K.C., Attorney General Colin McKie K.C., Legal Practitioner Colette Wilkins K.C., Legal Practitioner