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Solicitors Act 1974
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60 Effect of contentious business agreements.E+W
(1)Subject to the provisions of this section and to sections 61 to 63, the costs of a solicitor in any case where a contentious business agreement has been made shall not be subject to [F1assessment] or [F2(except in the case of an agreement which provides for the solicitor to be remunerated by reference to an hourly rate)] to the provisions of section 69.
(2)Subject to subsection (3), a contentious business agreement shall not affect the amount of, or any rights or remedies for the recovery of, any costs payable by the client to, or to the client by, any person other than the solicitor, and that person may, unless he has otherwise agreed, require any such costs to be [F3assessed] according to the rules for their [F4assessment] for the time being in force.
(3)A client shall not be entitled to recover from any other person under an order for the payment of any costs to which a contentious business agreement relates more than the amount payable by him to his solicitor in respect of those costs under the agreement.
(4)A contentious business agreement shall be deemed to exclude any claim by the solicitor in respect of the business to which it relates other than—
(a)a claim for the agreed costs; or
(b)a claim for such costs as are expressly excepted from the agreement.
[F5(5)A provision in a contentious business agreement that the solicitor shall not be liable for his negligence, or that of any employee of his, shall be void if the client is a natural person who, in entering that agreement, is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business or profession.
(6)A provision in a contentious business agreement that the solicitor shall be relieved from any responsibility to which he would otherwise be subject as a solicitor shall be void.]
Textual Amendments
F1Word in s. 60(1) substituted (1.1.2010) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 177, 211, Sch. 16 para. 56(a) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2009/3250, art. 2(f)(ii) (with art. 9)
F2Words inserted by Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41, SIF 76:1), s. 98(6)
F3Word in s. 60(2) substituted (1.1.2010) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 177, 211, Sch. 16 para. 56(b)(i) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2009/3250, art. 2(f)(ii) (with art. 9)
F4Word in s. 60(2) substituted (1.1.2010) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 177, 211, Sch. 16 para. 56(b)(ii) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2009/3250, art. 2(f)(ii) (with art. 9)
F5S. 60(5)(6) substituted (30.6.2008) for s. 60(5) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 177, 211, Sch. 16 para. 56(c) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2008/1436, art. 2(d)(i)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 60 (except (5)) extended (1.1.1992) by Administration of Justice Act 1985 (c. 61, SIF 34), s. 9, Sch. 2 para. 22(2); S.I. 1991/2683, art. 2
C2S. 60 extended (22.5.2000) by S.I. 2000/1119, regs. 1, 37(3), Sch. 4 para. 7(2)
C3S. 60 applied (with modifications) (23.12.2011) by The Legal Services Act 2007 (Designation as a Licensing Authority) (No. 2) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2866), art. 1(2), Sch. 1 paras. 1, 3, 6
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