Precedents: Costs, billing & litigation funding
6 starting-point precedents for this area. Each one names the law it rests on and says how far AI may help.
- Precedents in this area
- 6
- Full text
- For signed-in accounts
- Newest law stated as at
- 17 October 2026
- Guidance for this area
- Tasks and AI use in Costs, billing & litigation funding
| Precedent | Kind | Where it applies | AI use | Law stated as at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uniform Law standard costs disclosure form (matters likely to cost $750 to $3,000): completion guideLinks to the prescribed Uniform Law standard costs disclosure form (Form 1) and explains how to complete each part, when it may be used instead of a full disclosure, and what to do when the estimate grows. | Form | New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia | Yellow | 17 October 2026 |
| Costs disclosure and costs agreement letter (Uniform Law ss 174 and 180)Full written costs disclosure for Uniform Law matters likely to exceed $3,000, which also operates as the costs agreement when accepted. Covers scope, basis of charging, estimate, billing, AI use and the client's statutory rights. | Letter | New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia | Yellow | 17 October 2026 |
| Engagement and costs agreement clauses: AI use, client consent and charging for AI-assisted workClauses for engagement letters and costs agreements that tell the client how the firm uses AI, record consent or restrictions, and state how AI-assisted work and tool costs are charged. | Clause | New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom (England and Wales), United States | Yellow | 17 October 2026 |
| Billing and time-recording policy for AI-assisted workFirm policy on recording time and billing for work done with AI tools, so bills reflect real legal work, efficiencies reach the client, and verification or rework does not inflate costs. | Policy | New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, Australia, United States | Yellow | 17 October 2026 |
| Notice to client of a significant change in legal costs (Uniform Law s 174(1)(b))Letter that updates the client in writing when the scope, basis or likely total of legal costs changes significantly, explains the impact, sets out options and seeks instructions and consent. | Letter | New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia | Yellow | 17 October 2026 |
| Litigation funding agreement review checklist (including class actions)Checklist for reviewing a third-party litigation funding agreement and the related costs agreement: commission, control, termination, adverse costs, conflicts, court disclosure and the contingency fee prohibition. | Checklist | Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia | Red | 17 October 2026 |
AI use levels: Green means AI can do most of the drafting and a lawyer reviews it. Yellow means AI helps in set ways and a lawyer checks specific points. Red means a lawyer does the work and AI stays out of the decisive steps.