Shail has a broad commercial disputes practice with particular emphasis on financial services, insurance, professional liability work and costs. He appears regularly in the county courts and High Court both as sole advocate and as part of a team. Shail prides himself on being able to quickly identify the heart of a dispute and provide practical and commercial advice leading to its resolution.
Shail is named a “Leading Junior” in Legal 500 2015 for professional negligence and costs. He is described as ‘always right on top of the detail, is incredibly user friendly and always makes time to provide advice when required’ whose ‘written advice and advocacy belies someone of his call’.
Shail has a thriving practice in the field of costs. He regularly advises on the interpretation of costs rules, and funding agreements and appears at both detailed assessment hearings and on costs appeals.
Recent highlighted include:-
Langstone v Willers
Shail is instructed with Nicholas Bacon QC in this £3.5m detailed assessment hearing in late 2014. The assessment listed for 8 days raises a number of preliminary issues, including novel issues relating to the assignment of a right to costs and variation of funding agreements.
Clients of Rapid Solicitors v Various
Shail acts for a medical insurer defending costs claims progressed by this well known claimant personal injury firm in the North East. The costs cases have attracted widespread press coverage given the very substantial bills of costs presented by claimants in comparison to the amount of damages recovered.
Derwent Holdings v Pannone
Shail acted for a commercial client against its former solicitors in applications for their time records for the purposes of enforcing costs orders. The case raised various issues surrounding delay in issuing costs proceedings and the documentation a party should reasonably be entitled to before taking that step.
Heard v Seame
Shail appeared for a firm of financial advisers at a detailed assessment hearing of costs against them. The dispute raised complex issues in relation to recoverability of ATE premiums and other points of principle.
