Guidance

Model file submissions for civil billing

You should follow the standard file process outlined below when submitting work for online and paper billing.

• From: Legal Aid Agency
• Published: 6 July 2017
• Last updated: 24 July 2019 — See all updates

A standard file format for submitting papers to the Legal Aid Agency should be followed for more efficient processing of your work.

What is the standard file format?

We ask you to submit a main file of both online and paper files in the following chronological order:

1. correspondence
2. letters in and out
3. telephone calls
4. e-mails
5. attendance notes
6. court attendance notes

There should be a separate folder for:

1. disbursement vouchers – the vouchers should be numbered to correspond with the claim
2. court bundle including pleadings, orders etc
3. means evidence
4. legal help form including CW2 where applicable
5. evidence for domestic violence, where applicable
6. experts’ reports, unless included within court bundle

Where possible all work should be in chronological order.

Electronic file submissions

Where files are being submitted electronically they should be clearly labelled to indicate what each file contains.

For example, ‘work dated 01/01/2015 to 30/06/2015’ or ‘letters and emails 2015’.

Our preference is for the electronic file to be uploaded via a cloud based storage system. Where files are being submitted electronically as a PDF/Word document these should be separated into reasonable size files. Each upload should be a maximum of 8mb. You should note that we are unable to download documents.

Where possible electronic documents should be searchable. This will help ensure that caseworkers can easily identify the correct documentation on assessment and should reduce the level of queries or assessments.

Similarly, where using a cloud based system our preference is that we only have access to the files needed for assessment. This assists with finding the correct documentation, makes the process quicker and reinforces data security.

Submission of paper files for CCMS claims

Where sending a paper file for a CCMS claim, please wait for a notification from the LAA with an address to send the file of papers to. Please do not send the file of papers to our Nottingham address or generate a coversheet from CCMS unless specifically requested by the LAA.

Further information

Legal help escape cases:

Claim forms and checklists

Escape cases electronic handbook

Cost assessment guidance

Certificated claims:

Claim forms and checklists – certificated paper claims

Cost assessment guidance and civil finance electronic handbook

Published 6 July 2017
Last updated 24 July 2019 + show all updates

1. 24 July 2019

   Update to guidance in relation to submitting a paper CCMS claim.

2. 6 July 2017

   First published.