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Barrister

John Meehan

Year of Call: 2019

John Meehan is a Barrister at Kenworthy’s Chambers who specialises in

John is an experienced costs practitioner, with a busy costs and litigation funding practice.

Civil Litigation and Costs

John Meehan specialises in Civil Litigation and Costs.

Prior to joining Chambers in 2019, John worked in an award-winning international law firm as a Solicitor-Advocate practising exclusively in Costs. As a former Solicitor with almost a decade of experience, John is tactically astute and prides himself on providing practical and commercially focused advice.

John Meehan handles a full range of Costs matters with expertise on a wide range of issues including litigation funding, fixed costs challenges, conduct issues, proportionality, procedural points of law, and Solicitor and client assessments.

John has substantial experience of representing receiving and paying parties at detailed assessments including in high value, complex and multi-party assessments. He appears frequently before Masters of the Senior Court Costs Office, Regional Costs Judge and in the Appellate Courts. He prides himself on meticulous preparation and attention to detail.

John has detailed and practical knowledge of fixed Costs and is regularly sought out by clients to argue technical Costs issues arising out of such claims. He has developed a busy solicitor and own client practice with a particular focus on assisting Solicitor’s firms faced with challenges from former clients. Following the increase in such challenges, John has been heavily involved in assisting firms to update their funding arrangements and strengthen their business practices.  

As a Costs Barrister, John regularly appears at Costs and Case Management Conferences (CCMCs), particularly in high value claims and where disputes have arisen as to Costs budgeting. 

John’s Court practice is augmented by his advisory and drafting work, including Points of Dispute, Replies to Points of Dispute and statements of case.

As a regular contributor to the legal press, John has written for LexisNexis and Litigation Funding magazine. In addition, he has provided a wide range of training seminars to legal organisations, including a number of the UK’s top 100 legal firms.

If you have a Civil Litigation or Costs case you need advice or advocacy for, call our Civil Clerks Michael Jones and Alessandro Saporita-Clark on 0161 832 4036, email Mike@kenworthys.co.uk, Alessandro@kenworthys.co.uk or fill out our contact form.

+ Notable Cases

    •             Acting as junior counsel for the appellant, led by Mr Ben Williams KC, in Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust v Hoskin (2023); a case concerning the requirement for a party to provide a breakdown of medical disbursements when serving a bill of Costs.

    •             Instructed by the appellant before the High Court in O’Sullivan v Holmes & Hills LLP [2023] EWHC 508 (QB); successfully challenging the District Judge’s refusal to dismiss inadequately pleaded objections to a Solicitor’s bill of Costs.

    •             Acting for the successful respondent beneficiary before the High Court in Shepherd & Co Solicitors v Brealey [2022] EWHC 3229 (KB) in a Solicitor/client costs assessment concerning the right of the Solicitor to charge for the work done as Executor in the absence of a charging clause in the will.

    •             Representing the claimant in Brierley v Otuo [2023] EWHC 275 (SCCO) and successfully opposing an application that the solicitor’s bill of Costs was miscertified.

    •             Instructed by the claimant in Wilkinson-Mulvanny v UK Insurance Limited [2023], which concerned the proper approach to the recovery of medical disbursements in fixed costs cases.

    •             Acting for the successful claimant in a high value detailed assessment at the Senior Court Costs Office. The bill of Costs was assessed in excess of the claimant’s Part 36 offer resulting in significantly enhanced recovery.

    •             Representing the claimant before the Regional Costs Judge in Foley v Bowler [2022], establishing the proper approach to the recovery of medical disbursements in the context of the RTA protocol following Greyson v Fuller [2022] EWHC 211 (QB).

    •             Instructed by the successful appellant in Bingham v Seal Engineering (2021), overturning the decision of the Costs Judge to disallow a large ATE premium.

    •             Acting for the successful claimant at detailed assessment and establishing that claims brought pursuant to the Equality Act 2010 are not caught by the EL/PL protocol, leading to a significant additional Costs recovery for the claimant’s Solicitors.

    + Qualifications

    John has completed the Bar Vocational Course, achieving an overall grade of Very Competent, and the Legal Practice Course, achieving a Distinction. Upon completion of the Legal Practice Course, John was awarded the BPP Highest Performing Professional award for achieving the highest overall mark in his cohort. John also has a BA in Law with Politics from The University of Manchester.

    + Professional Memberships
    • The Bar Council of England and Wales.
    • Member of the Personal Injuries Bar Association (PIBA).
    • Member of the Employment Lawyers Association.

    Contact Us

    To check the availability of Barrister John Meehan for your Civil Litigation or Costs case call our Civil Clerks Michael Jones and Matthew Thomas on 0161 832 4036, email Mike@kenworthys.co.uk, Matt@kenworthys.co.uk or fill out our contact form.

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