Meet the Team

Our success is largely due to our team of experienced Solicitors, Costs Lawyers, Draftsmen and dedicated support staff. The stability and strength in depth of the company is reflected in the fact that most of our key staff have been together for a considerable period of time, some for in excess of 15 years.

As with any professional organisation, training and continuing education are essential. At Elite Law Solicitors we are committed to the ongoing development of our team. You can be sure that whoever is assigned to your matter they will have the knowledge and experience to deal with it professionally, quickly and accurately.

Stephen Howey

Senior Partner & Costs Lawyer

Stephen has been a Costs specialist for over 30 years. He became a Fellow of the ACL in 1994 and was awarded the Edis Cup for the highest mark of the year. Stephen is a former Council Member and Treasurer of the ACL and was one of the first draftsmen to obtain the status of Costs Lawyer, with rights of audience and the right to conduct costs litigation (a reserved legal activity).

In 1990 Stephen went into partnership with John Mistri and created HM Law Costs Draftsmen (now Elite Law Solicitors), which practiced successfully for over 20 years.

Stephen specialises in the preparation of Bills in clinical negligence, catastrophic personal injury and commercial matters.

Nicola Mooney, Partner at McMillan Williams, described Stephen as “efficient, quick and gave a very good steer on negotiations resulting in a great outcome on a difficult case.”Stephen can be contacted by email at showey@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

John Mistri

Senior Partner, Costs Lawyer & Accredited Mediator

John started his career in 1982. Like Stephen he is a past Council member of the ACL where he was responsible for education and was one of the first draftsmen to obtain the status of Costs Lawyer.

John regularly provides seminars to clients on the impact of new rules and changes to costs litigation.

John specialises in advocacy and complex matters with a particular interest in solicitor and own client and non-contentious disputes. He is responsible for the supervision of all Detailed Assessment hearings in the SCCO and other regional and County Courts attending many of those hearings personally. John has been involved in very high value assessments, prepared expert evidence for security for costs claims and has been involved in numerous high value group litigation claims. He also assisted with the highest valued claim from public funds in the Isle of Man.

Virginia Ralfe, Director at City Lawyers has described John’s approach as “clear and pragmatic” and that his help was “greatly appreciated in helping to defeat a number of arguments raised by the paying party”. She also believed that John was “very helpful in that the opposing party was respectful of his knowledge and sensible approach which assisted in enabling a settlement to be achieved”.

James Scozzi

Managing Partner of Elite Law & Past President of Surrey Law Society

James started his professional career as a Costs Draftsman in 2001 firstly for a well-known national law firm and thereafter for HM Law Costs Draftsmen.

He subsequently qualified as a Solicitor and worked for McMillan Williams (MW) as the Head of the Costs Department and subsequently as Head of Revenue Generation. Whilst at MW James was responsible for supervising costs aspects relating to all fee earners practicing in the areas of personal injury, clinical negligence, family, civil and professional negligence. James was also part of the management team that dealt with MW’s expansion from a small high street practice to a practice employing over 250 staff at 16 branches.

James specialises in high value complex matters with a particular interest in clinical negligence.

In 2016 he was shortlisted as Lawyer of the Year by the Modern Law Awards and is currently Past President of the Surrey Law Society.

James has been described as “straight talking, no-nonsense and above all commercial. I cannot recommend him highly enough” (Michael Turner, Solicitor and Part time District Judge & Recorder)

James can be contacted by email at jscozzi@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

Joanna Williams

Head of Legal Costs Services & Costs Draftsman

Jo’s first career was as a Senior Registered Sick Children’s Nurse at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Jo is also qualified as an Adult Education Tutor and designed and ran childcare training courses suitable for new parents, nursery workers and child minders for Buckinghamshire County Council.

Jo also sat as an advisory Board member for a UK branch of an international health care product company.

Subsequently Jo embarked on a new career as a Costs Draftsman and joined HM Law Costs Draftsmen (now Elite Law Solicitors) in 1999. She predominantly deals with the preparation of Bills of Costs, with a particular interest in Very High Cost Case Plans in complex publicly funded matters. As a result of Jo’s attention to detail, excellent drafting skills and copious experience she was appointed as our Head of Legal Costs Services in 2015.

Kirti Patel, Partner at CLP has described Jo as a “an amazing fount of knowledge when it comes to the LAA and is always very helpful in preparing responses to various queries raised by the LAA”

Joanna can be contacted by email at jwilliams@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

Siraj Khan

Deputy Head of Legal Costs Services

Siraj started his legal costs career in 2009 with an in-house role at a London based firm of solicitors following the completion of his LLB Law degree and the Legal Practice Course. He then moved to HM Law Costs in April 2011.

As a Costs Lawyer and Chartered Legal Executive, Siraj is dual qualified and is well versed in the preparation of Bills of Costs, Points of Dispute, Replies to Points of Dispute and Precedent H Costs Budgets. Siraj represents clients both in the justification and opposition of costs and has extensive experience of high value personal injury, clinical negligence and commercial litigation matters. He also attends costs related application hearings, directions hearings and represents clients in Solicitors Act matters.

In his spare time Siraj enjoys spending time with his family. He is a keen football fan and organises Bedfordshire’s largest annual 5-a-side charity football tournament, raising money for various charitable causes.

Siraj can be contacted by email at skhan@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

Esmer Aljkanovic

Costs Lawyer

After obtaining an Economics degree, Esmer went on to complete his Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course at the College of Law.

Esmer started his career in costs at a well known national law firm, as part of the in-house team. He went on to complete his training and studies on the ACL and qualified as a Costs Lawyer in 2015.

From his time working in-house for two large personal injury law firms, Esmer has gained a wealth of experience in all types of personal injury claims, from low value RTAs to complex high value industrial disease claims.

Esmer has a particular interest in the development of costing software, in order to deliver an innovative and market leading approach with the highest level of quality standards for his clients.

Esmer can be contacted by email at ealjkanovic@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

Vanessa Brown

Costs Lawyer

Following completion of her degree in Microbiology Vanessa went on to study physical geography, during which time she taught surveying and cartography as well as supervising field trips for undergraduate geography students.

Vanessa embarked on a legal costs career when she joined HM Law Costs Draftsmen in 1995. She now deals with a full spectrum of inter partes and publicly funded claims for costs.

Vanessa specialises in multi-party complex commercial claims and also deals with very high cost case plans.

Vanessa can be contacted by email at vbrown@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

Sue Nash

Costs Lawyer & Senior Consultant

Sue has been practicing in legal costs for over 30 years and is well known for her specialist experience in group litigation as well as costs budgeting. She is a former chairman of the Association of Costs Lawyers and a leading authority on costs. As a result she writes regularly for the legal press on costs-related issues.

As well as co-founding specialist costs consultancy (Group) Litigation Costs Services, she created and founded Omnia Legal Software, the first secure web-based program offering a costs budgeting and management service as an ‘add-on’.

Sue joined Elite in January 2017 to not only expand our group litigation services and provide consultancy and training on all aspects of costs but also to assist in the development of current and future offerings such as legal project management, pricing and auditing.

She has been described (by an opponent) as “a breath of fresh air” in dealing with costs negotiations and commended for her “impressive costs knowledge and attention to detail” (Alex Hutton QC)

Sue can be contacted by email at snash@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

Tabassum Hoque

Solicitor

Tabassum started her legal career as a paralegal in 2007 with a well-known national Defendant law firm specialising in Personal Injury Litigation, but also practised in Family Law.

Tabassum started her career in costs in 2011 as a Costs Draftsman as part of an in-house team. She then went on to expand her career by moving to London and working in the City at a costs firm followed by another in-house role at another well-known Defendant national law firm. She qualified as a Solicitor in 2016.

Tabassum has gained a wealth of experience in all types of personal injury claims and has specialised in Defendant matters. She has also gained vast experience in high value shipping cases, Libel/Defamation Cases, Aviation & Travel Litigation, Professional Negligence, Product Liability cases, Clinical Negligence and also dealt with Criminal Prosecution in Clinical Negligence.

Tabassum can be contacted by email at thoque@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

Mark Richardson

Costs Lawyer

Mark began his legal costs career at a national law costs drafting company in 1989. He subsequently joined HM Law Costs Draftsmen in 2006.

Mark became an associate member of the Association of Law Costs Draftsmen in 1995 and subsequently qualified as a Costs Lawyer in 2010 with rights of audience and the right to conduct costs litigation, which is a reserved legal activity.

Mark specialises in the preparation of publicly funded claims for costs in family, care and civil matters together with the preparation of Very High Costs Case Plans. Mark is also an expert in the preparation of inter partes Bills of Costs.

Mark can be contacted by email at mrichardson@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

Rebecca Humble

Costs Lawyer

Mark began his legal costs career at a national law costs drafting company in 1989. He subsequently joined HM Law Costs Draftsmen in 2006.

Mark became an associate member of the Association of Law Costs Draftsmen in 1995 and subsequently qualified as a Costs Lawyer in 2010 with rights of audience and the right to conduct costs litigation, which is a reserved legal activity.

Mark specialises in the preparation of publicly funded claims for costs in family, care and civil matters together with the preparation of Very High Costs Case Plans. Mark is also an expert in the preparation of inter partes Bills of Costs.

Mark can be contacted by email at mrichardson@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

Ian Durham

Costs Lawyer

Ian’s first career was in banking. He embarked on a new career as a trainee costs draftsman in 2003 and became a Associate Member of the Law Costs Draftsman on 1st August 2008. He subsequently qualified as a Costs Lawyer in June 2011.

Ian’s work involves the preparation of bills and schedules of costs and costs budgets in civil matters, with a particular specialism in historic abuse cases.

Ian can be contacted by email at idurham@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

Kashera Swaby

Consultant Costs Draftsman

Kashera is experienced in handling clinical negligence, catastrophic personal injury and commercial matters. Kashera read law at university and went on to study the LPC and LL.M at the University of Law.

Prior to joining Elite, Kashera worked in-house for a national firm where she prepared bills of costs for detailed assessment and advised on an array of costs related matters; streamlining cost management procedures and optimising cost recovery.

Kashera’s work involves the preparation of bills, points of dispute and cost budgeting.

Kashera can be contacted by email at kswaby@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

Hayley Forster

Costs Draftsman

Hayley first started costs drafting in 2000. She went on to become a Fellow of the Association of Law Costs Draftsmen in 2007.

Hayley initially trained with one of the UK’s leading providers of claims services to insurers and other compensators before working in house for a firm of solicitors. She joined HM Law Costs Draftsmen in 2011.

Hayley has a wealth of experience in preparing publicly funded claims for costs and specialises in family and care matters, including Very High Costs Case Plans.

Hayley can be contacted by email at hforster@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

Fleur Edwards

Costs Draftsman

Fleur has 25 years’ experience preparing bills of costs for solicitors nationwide. Her initial 8 years were spent dealing with costs in civil matters including many high cost personal injury, industrial disease, and clinical negligence. She also has 20 years’ experience in dealing almost exclusively with family Legal Aid work.. Fleur specialises in complex care cases.

Fleur can be contacted by email at fedwards@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

Lucie Bultitude

Costs Draftsman

Fleur has 25 years’ experience preparing bills of costs for solicitors nationwide. Her initial 8 years were spent dealing with costs in civil matters including many high cost personal injury, industrial disease, and clinical negligence. She also has 20 years’ experience in dealing almost exclusively with family Legal Aid work.. Fleur specialises in complex care cases.

Fleur can be contacted by email at fedwards@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

Heidi Taylor

Costs Draftsman

Fleur has 25 years’ experience preparing bills of costs for solicitors nationwide. Her initial 8 years were spent dealing with costs in civil matters including many high cost personal injury, industrial disease, and clinical negligence. She also has 20 years’ experience in dealing almost exclusively with family Legal Aid work.. Fleur specialises in complex care cases.

Fleur can be contacted by email at fedwards@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk

Katerina Irodotou

Costs Draftsman

Fleur has 25 years’ experience preparing bills of costs for solicitors nationwide. Her initial 8 years were spent dealing with costs in civil matters including many high cost personal injury, industrial disease, and clinical negligence. She also has 20 years’ experience in dealing almost exclusively with family Legal Aid work.. Fleur specialises in complex care cases.

Fleur can be contacted by email at fedwards@elitelawsolicitors.co.uk