Michael Deacon

Costs

Michael has prior experience of costs work from his time as a commercial litigation solicitor, and having undertaken part of his pupillage under the supervision of Sarah Lambert, has been developing a costs practice of his own. He regularly deals with costs issues ancillary to his other practice areas in addition to costs litigation.

Building on his previous experience as a solicitor in commercial litigation, Michael has developed a busy independent practice in general contractual disputes. He regularly advises and appears in court in both trials and interlocutory matters on behalf of both claimants and defendants in this field.

Michael acts in a variety of disputes relating to contractual terms, including the application of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977; the Sale of Goods Act 1979; and allegations of defective performance, among others. Michael has particular experience of advising in technical claims involving allegations of defective performance of machinery in different contexts.

Selected Cases

• Pursued a claim for a detailed assessment of a firm of solicitor’s costs under sections 68 to 75 of the Solicitors Act 1974, involving preliminary issues relating to whether bills were interim bills or interim statute bills and whether special circumstances pre-vailed so as to allow for assessment.
• Acted as junior to Guy Mansfield QC in defending a wasted costs application made against a barrister acting as an expert witness in relation to the law of Abu Dhabi in family proceedings in England.