Recent case relating to whether ‘Chorley exception’ applies to barrister

19/07/2018

A recent judgment was handed down by the New South Wales Court of Appeal on 13 July 2018 relating to whether the ‘Chorley exception’ applies to barristers.

There is an established rule that a self-represented litigant is not entitled to professional costs for acting for herself or himself in legal proceedings, however, there is a recognised exception that applies where the self-represented litigant is a solicitor (Chorley; Cachia v Hanes (1994) 179 CLR 403). The Court found that the ‘Chorley exception’ extends to barristers who are self-represented.

The judgment can be accessed here.