Lawyers will have to justify bills to clients

LAWYERS will have to justify their bills to clients under new arrangements governing legal fees.

Solicitors and barristers will be required to mount a more convincing defence of their bills according to the amount of time they spend on a case and produce detailed time sheets to back up their claims.

The move is designed to stop members of the legal profession charging arbitrary or excessive amounts, and to allow clients see exactly what services and labour they are paying for.