Cases

Campbell v MGN Ltd (Costs) HL

Facts

In May 2004, the House of Lords by a majority of 3-2 overturned the Court of Appeal's unanimous dismissal of Naomi Campbell's privacy action, restored the order of Morland J. and ordered MGN to pay Ms Campbell's costs in the Court of Appeal and House of Lords. The newspaper group was served with a legal bill of £1,086,296.47, £594,470 of which related to the House of Lords appeal which Solicitors and Counsel for Ms Campbell acted on a CFA, with success fees of 95% and 100% respectively. Thus the 'profit' element of the legal bill was £288,468 whilst disbursements were £26,020. MGN petitioned against liability to pay any part of the success fee on the basis that, in the circumstances of the case, the liability was so disproportionate as to infringe their Article 10 rights.

Also