City's first costs department opened by Civil Law

They say demand is strong for the service and is expected to grow significantly.

Mr Jackson said: "Our costs department provides a service that has not previously been available from a dedicated team in Liverpool.

"It's a complex area of the law that few chambers address on a specialist basis. There are perhaps only six chambers in the whole country that offer a comparable service."

Costs developed into a separate discipline following the introduction of the Civil Procedures Rules (CPR) in 1998. Conditional Fee Agreements have further extended its importance.

Mr Jackson added: "Costs is all about money and money is what makes the law work.

"It's vitally important to get costs right and we offer our service to all solicitors whether they are acting for claimants or for defendant insurers.

"The CPR introduced a whole new dimension to civil cases. Every trial has a bill and every bill is open to a detailed assessment.

"The rules are open to challenge and challenge means litigation, yet many counsel are simply not aware of the full complexity of these rules.

"Many successful solicitors have followed the curve and are forward-thinking in the area of costs. However, most barristers do advocacy and don't like dealing with money.

"That's all well and good but it means that you can win a big case and still lose on costs.

"We address that phenomenon and that fact is that reverse is also true. You can lose a case but win on costs."

Liverpool Civil Law was first established at 42 Castle Street, Liverpool in 1998 and is the only specialist civil chambers on the Northern Circuit.

It moved to modern offices at Number One, Old Hall Street, last year and alongside the team of clerks it also employs a full time research and information assistant.

Charles Feeny, the firm's head of chambers, said: "Relocating into new premises in the Liverpool Business District has given us the opportunity to expand.

"This needs to be done in a controlled way and introducing a costs team was our preferred option.

"Our existing clients, major players in the national personal injury market, had identified this as a gap in what we offered.

"Chris and David can provide a service for our existing clients as well as maintaining their own practices. They also have a strong reputation in our core areas of personal injury, industrial disease and clinical negligence."

The launch of the costs department was announced at a well-attended medico/legal seminar staged by Liverpool Civil Law at the SAS Radison Hotel.