Singapore legislation
Regulation 15
Regulation 15
Costs payable to solicitors
Subregulation 1
The sums allowed to a solicitor —
in connection with proceedings in any court; or (b)where there are no proceedings in any court, for investigating and reporting or giving an opinion upon an application for the grant of legal aid or giving legal advice,shall be the full amount allowed on assessment of the costs on account of disbursements and 50% of the amount so allowed on account of solicitor and client costs, except that where the sum claimed by a solicitor who has been assigned cases by the Director on account of solicitor and client costs (including disbursements) does not exceed $1,500, the Director may, in his discretion, approve the payment of the costs without assessment.
Subregulation 2
Where in any proceedings to which an aided person is a party, proceedings are, or have been, brought to an end without a direction having been given as to the aided person’s costs being assessed as between solicitor and client in accordance with paragraph (1)(a), the aided person’s costs shall be so assessed —
in the court in which the proceedings were heard; or (b)if the court in which the proceedings were heard has no power to award costs, then —
in the case of a claim for costs not exceeding $50,000, in the State Courts; or (ii)in the case of a claim for costs exceeding $50,000, in the General Division of the High Court,and the costs of the assessment shall be deemed to be costs in the proceedings to which the Grant of Aid relates.
Subregulation 3
Where there are no proceedings in any court, the aided person’s costs shall be assessed —
in the case of a claim for costs not exceeding $50,000, in the State Courts; or
in the case of a claim for costs exceeding $50,000, in the General Division of the High Court,and the costs of the assessment shall be deemed to be costs in the proceedings to which the Grant of Aid relates.
Subregulation 4
For the purpose of paragraph (1), costs shall be assessed according to the ordinary rules applicable on an assessment of costs between solicitor and client where the costs are to be paid out of a common fund in which the client and others are interested, except that no question shall be raised as to the propriety of any act for which prior approval was obtained under these Regulations.
Subregulation 5
The sum payable to members of the board other than the Director shall be $50 for each sitting.
Subregulation 6
Paragraphs (1) to (5) apply despite any agreement between the Director and the solicitor on the rates of solicitor and client costs (including disbursements) payable to the solicitor for the solicitor’s services for cases assigned by the Director to the solicitor.