Michael Monaghan Bsc, LLB
Director

Michael graduated with a Bsc from the National University of Ireland and subsequently graduated with a LLB from London Guildhall University. Michael has in excess of 20 years experience in dealing with legal costs, and regularly practices in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and England & Wales jurisdictions. Michael is a Fellow of the Association of Law Costs Draftsmen in the England & Wales jurisdiction, and was also among the first Costs Accountants in that jurisdiction to qualify as a Costs Lawyer in September 2007.

Michael has extensive experience in both justifying and opposing claims for costs in a wide range of civil and commercial matters, and has particular expertise in dealing with claims for costs arising from Tax and VAT Disputes, as well as opposing claims for costs in medical negligence matters on behalf of the Medical Protection Society . Michael also has extensive expertise in dealing with costs claims against government departments in Ireland, having acted as the Principal Legal Costs Accountant to the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (‘The Ryan Commission’) in Dublin from 2005.

Michael also lectures regularly on legal costs in Dublin, Belfast and London.

Nick Portch
Director

Nick has been working in the field of legal costs for over 30 years. He qualified as a Fellow of the Association of Law Costs Draftsmen in England & Wales in January 2001, and was among the first Costs Accountants in that jurisdiction to qualify as a Costs Lawyer in January 2008.

Nick has extensive experience in dealing with costs in commercial and civil litigation, both in Ireland and in the England and Wales jurisdiction. Nick has dealt with many complex and high value matters for numerous large firms of solicitors based in Dublin, London and Belfast, and regularly provides advice on costs matters to major insurance companies in Dublin and London.

In this regard, Nick regularly provides costs services to one of the leading firms of solicitors in the City of London specialising in insurance work, and dealt with the recovery of costs arising from the Buncefield disaster, which included complex claims for generic costs of the issues of both liability and quantum. More recently, Nick was heavily involved in assisting Michael Monaghan in dealing with claims for costs arising from the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (‘The Ryan Commission’)

Nick’s general workload includes opposing claims for costs in medical negligence matters in Ireland on behalf of the Medical Protection Society, and on behalf of the Directorate of Legal Services in Belfast. Nick also lectures regularly on legal costs in Dublin, Belfast and London.

Helen Gatenby

Helen was a Practicing Solicitor for a leading Irish law firm before joining Abacus Law Costs Consultants. Helen’s experience and knowledge in high value and complex litigation is of great assistance and advantage to Abacus Law Costs as well as to our clients. Helen’s extensive experience in litigation augments the widely experienced team of Legal Cost Accountants within the Abacus Law Costs Consultants’ team.

Charlie Portch

Charlie graduated from Liverpool John Moores University in June 2012, and joined the Abacus team shortly thereafter.

Charlie is valuable member of the Abacus team, with a forensic attention to detail and a strong ability to analyse, manipulate and condense data for the provision of clear and concise advice to clients on costs matters.

Charlie has extensive experience in dealing with both the recovery of costs and opposing costs claims, and is equally happy preparing detailed Bills of Costs for Adjudication and analysing claims for costs payable by the client.

Marie Smartt

Prior to becoming the office manager in the Dublin office of Abacus Law Cost Consultants Marie spent over 25 years working in one of Ireland’s leading insurance companies. Marie is the first point of contact within the office for coordinating receipt of files and the return of the same and for any invoice queries.

Stephen Smartt

After completing his studies in the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown joined Abacus Law Costs Consultants where his key responsibilities include attending the court and the office of the Legal Cost Adjudicator in respect of setting matters down for hearings, undertaking follow-up responsibilities in respect listing of hearings. Within the office environment Stephen also oversees file management responsibilities and in addition he is continuing his training to become a legal cost accountant.

Kevan Hackett

Kevan has been involved in legal costs matters for over 36 years, having started his legal career in the Office of the Treasury Solicitor in the UK. Kevan has extensive experience in all areas of legal costs, including justifying and opposing claims for costs in substantial commercial litigation and multi-jurisdictional matters, as well as matrimonial matters. Kevan previously assisted Michael Monaghan in dealing with claims for costs on behalf of the Commission To Inquire into Child Abuse (CICA).