Legal fees

Press, 10 October 1984, Page 16

Legal fees

Sir,—As some of the counsel engaged in the Rakaia River inquiry, we were interested to read in the Reporter’s Diary of October 6 your paper’s estimate of the daily rate of legal fees — a figure which averages at $lOOO a day for each of us. In view of this representation to the public as to the level of our fees, and of the jibes which it has occasioned, we will be grateful if you would confirm that your paper will meet the shortfall we all will face.—Yours, etc., JOHN R. MILLIGAN AND 10 OTHERS. October 8, 1984. [The estimate supplied to Reporter’s Diary was not meant to convey the idea that a day’s work would yield an average of $lOOO for each lawyer; it took into account the preparation for the hearing as well, and therefore the whole cost of the appearance of counsel at the inquiry at that stage. Much as we appreciate the work of the profession we would not be prepared to meet the shortfall if some counsel are charging less than the assumed average; nor would we wish to subsidise the. clients of those who may charge more. Nevertheless we are sorry about the jibes. — Editor.]