When the Glen Eira City Council were represented by Norton Rose for a hearing which was conducted over three days, they claimed costs of $110,00. The initial matter arose from a Roads Corporation prosecution of the Council. The initial prosectuion failed and the Roads Corporation were ordered to pay the costs of the Council.
The Roads Corporation appealed the costs order in the Magistrates’ Court and hired Anthony Murdoch, now Principal at Patten Robins. In the Supreme Court, Mr Murdoch instructed Mark LaPirow of Counsel. The Supreme Court held that the costs must be reasonable, even in the summary jurisdiction which effective does not have a costs scale. Patten Robins believe that clients do not deserve to face exorbitant costs, no matter what side of the bar table they are instructing.