Murphy v Legal Services Commissioner (No. 2)

[2013] QSC 253

Supreme Court of Queensland

Built by Barristers,
For Australian Law.

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Interrogate

Catchwords

1. Practice and Procedure
2. › Costs
3. › Recovery of costs
4. › Self-represented litigants
5. › Whether anomalous exception for self-represented solicitors extends to self-represented barristers
6. › Whether professional costs recoverable by self-represented barrister
1. Practice and Procedure
2. › Costs
3. › Indemnity costs
4. › Whether indemnity costs available to self-represented barrister

Quick Take

A self-represented barrister is not entitled to recover professional costs in litigation. The anomalous exception permitting self-represented solicitors to claim professional costs (the [name withheld] exception as applied in [name withheld] v [name withheld]) does not extend to barristers. The court will not extend an exception described by the High Court as 'somewhat anomalous' and resting on 'somewhat dubious' justification.