Ray De La Rue
Costs Consultant
Ray commenced work with a legal firm in January 1966 as a trainee Accountant and apart from a two-year interruption for national service he remained with such law firm until 1975 learning legal costing from a Senior Partner of such law firm. In 1975, he set up his own legal costing firm having been exposed to general litigation and family law, (mostly under the Matrimonial Causes Act), whilst working with a law firm.
At the time of setting up his legal costing business there was a substantial demand for legal costs consultants given that there were only two other legal costing businesses operating at that time. He quickly gathered an extensive understanding of all forms of litigation and by 1993 he was engaged by the Liquidator of the Pyramid Group of Building Societies as the sole advisor in relation to all charges made by legal firms employed by him throughout Australia in respect to the various litigations. As a result, he then gained experience in relation to all forms of litigation in NSW, QLD, SA and to a minor degree WA.
Throughout his career he has been involved in assessing costs both as between parties and on a Solicitor/Client basis and drawing bills of costs and appearing on Taxation in relation to same in all jurisdictions in Australia. Mediations are now a preferred option for the resolution of costs disputes and he has extensive experience both in relation to inter-party Mediations and Solicitor and own Client Mediations. He still enjoys his work and is looking forward to his upcoming 50th year anniversary as a professional Costs Consultant.