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I represented a client who was accused of biting the complainant. The prosecution provided a report prepared by a consultant odontologist. I sought to obtain a report in response. The LAA would not pay the hourly rate that my expert sought. (I should perhaps mention that there are only about 20 persons with the relevant experience in the whole of the UK.) I contacted each one of the suitable experts and each one refused to work for the rate that the LAA offered. Each one told me that the rate that the prosecution paid was greater than that the LAA would pay. The difference between what the LAA would pay and what the experts wanted was £187 in total. I appealed the LAA decision and set all this out. The appeal was not successful. I therefore had the case listed for an abuse hearing.
The DJ wrote personally to the LAA - they ignored the letter. I appealed again. This time the appeal was successful. The end result of all this was that my bill for mags case was in excess of £15k and THEY PAID EVERY PENNY.
Words fail me. There is no one there with the wit to see that if you refuse to pay an expert the proper rate then this means that the Solicitor has much more work to do and the cost of that work is well in excess of the amount that you are refusing to pay.

Plus my client was acquitted after trial.

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