Lawyers hope for contingency fees to end recovery crisis

A debate is building over the possible use of contingency fees as a route out of the impasse over recoverability in personal injury actions.Delegates at a conference co-sponsored by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) and the Forum for Insurance Lawyers (FOIL) were broadly in favour of contingency fees, which are currently banned in the UK.FOIL president Andrew Parker said both senior solicitors and barristers were looking at the issue, and added that - although he envisaged problems for claimants with a contingency system - 'it has a role to play'.Frances McCarthy, APIL president, said the association was always interested in looking at all potential new funding methods.Under a contingency fee regime, lawyers' fees would come from their clients' damages.

Ms McCarthy said damages would need to rise considerably for the system to work.APIL vice president Patrick Allen, said: 'It's one way out.

It wouldn't be appropriate in all cases, but there is nothing intrinsically evil about contingency fees.'Jeremy Fleming