The ACL Council

Jack Ridgway

Vice Chairman

Jack is a Costs Lawyer and qualified in 2017.  A member of the profession since 2011 Jack has worked externally and in-house, currently at Bolt Burdon Kemp. Jack has gained experience as the receiving or paying party in a wide variety of matters, such as abuse, clinical negligence, commercial litigation, court of protection, design rights, personal injury, and probate. Jack regularly undertakes advocacy in the Royal Courts of Justice, with a particular focus on costs budgeting and applications during the substantive proceedings.  

Stephen Averill

Council Member

Stephen has worked in costs for 36 years and first qualified as an Associate of the ALCD in 1996.  He then became a Costs Lawyer in 2011.

Stephen set up Phoenix Legal Services in 2003.  Stephen’s experience is wide ranging, from low value RTA matters all the way up to complex GLO cases.  Stephen has overseen the transformation of the business over the past two years to support remote working and increasingly varied caseloads.

This is Stephen’s 2^nd stint on Council and he is part of the Finance Committee.

David Bailey-Vella

Council Member

David is a senior Costs Lawyer at Masters Legal Costs Services LLP. Having gained experience working in-house and for costs consultancies, he qualified as a Costs Lawyer in 2017.

David specialises in media litigation and has extensive experience in clinical negligence, personal injury, and high value commercial claims.

Outside of costs, David enjoys spending time with his young family, and is also a triathlete, regularly racing in multi-distance triathlons.

Stephanie Donald

Council Member

Stephanie qualified as a Costs Lawyer in 2014, however has been a member of the profession since 2003. Stephanie has worked both in-house and externally over this time, for both receiving and paying party clients in all areas of civil litigation.

Stephanie is based at Hill Dickinson Solicitors, where she heads up a strong team working predominantly with high value clinical negligence claims. Stephanie also works with the marine and business services groups.

Outside of costs, Stephanie and her family can be found at various running and athletics events, as members of the local running club.

Victoria Morrison-Hughes

Council Member

Victoria is a Costs Lawyer and qualified in 2017.  A member of the profession since 1997 Victoria has worked in-house and externally, currently at Integral Legal Costs. Victoria has experience as the receiving or paying party in a wide variety of matters, such as commercial litigation, clinical negligence, personal injury, disputed probate and solicitor client matters.

Victoria regularly undertakes advocacy, in-house bespoke training to her clients. Victoria’s expertise is often called upon as part of the legal strategy team particularly on complex commercial litigation matters.

Kristopher Kilsby

Council Member

Kris is a Costs Lawyer who qualified in 2018. Kris has been in the costs profession since 2014 and has had conduct in a wide variety of matters including personal injury, clinical negligence, civil litigation and Court of Protection. Kris has predominantly worked for the receiving party but has experience of assisting paying parties as well.

Laura Rees

Council Member

Ian Curtis-Nye

Council Member

Ian has been in costs since 2008 working for Lyons Davidson’s costs team Meruit Costs in various roles, eventually becoming the Partner and Head of Costs in 2015. Ian has extensive experience in claimant, defendant and audit costs matters, with a particular emphasis on technical and high-value disputes, CFA issues and changes in the costs litigation landscape. Ian has a wide ranging experience in drafting CFAs and CCFAs, as well as litigation funding more generally, both case specific and in terms of strategy and approach more generally.

He now enjoys a varied role responsible for the Injury and Costs divisions at Lyons Davidson as well as responsible for commercial delivery.