Barristers' fees make up £600K of Leveson costs
updated on 19 March 2012
As the Leveson Inquiry rumbles on, it has published details of its costs in the period from July 2011 until January 2012, revealing that over £600,000 of public money has been spent on barristers' fees alone. The overall cost of the inquiry in the six-month period is nearly £2 million. The figures are published as part of the inquiry's "commitment to full transparency".
Legal Week reports that the bulk of the fees - £536,100 - has gone to the core counsel on the inquiry: 39 Essex Street's Robert Jay QC, Temple Garden Chambers' David Barr and Landmark Chambers' Carine Patry. Nearly £90,000 has gone to other barristers assisting the lead counsel. Lord Justice Leveson is not paid directly by the inquiry, and instead receives his salary (£196,707) from his existing employment as a judge.
In related news, Linklaters has replaced Olswang as News International's legal adviser in relation to all outstanding civil claims relating to the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.
