Welcome to the CLSB website
The Association of Law Costs Draftsmen, known with effect from 1 January 2011 as
the Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL) was founded in 1977 to represent and promote
the status and interest of Cost Lawyers practising in England & Wales. It currently
has three levels of membership (Student, Fellow and Costs Lawyers). With effect
from 1 January 2012, there will be only two levels of membership (Trainee Costs
Lawyer and Costs Lawyer).
With effect from 31 October 2011 the CLSB became the Approved Regulator of Costs
Lawyers under delegated authority of the ACL.
The Legal Services Board oversees the work of the CLSB to ensure all regulatory
provisions are met pursuant to the Legal Services Act 2007 and other prevailing
legislation.
The regulatory work of the CLSB includes setting and maintaining
- the education and training requirements that need to be met before a Trainee Costs
Lawyer can apply for a practising certificate as a Costs Lawyer (see Training & CPD Rules);
- the continuing professional development required of Costs Lawyers for them to be
issued with a practising certificates (see Training
& CPD Rules);
- the professional conduct of Costs Lawyers when they are practicing (see Code of Conduct and Practising Rules); and
- the disciplinary mechanisms for any Costs Lawyers who might fall short of the standard
expected of them (see Disciplinary Rules).