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Ottawa, 19 June 2012
BY EMAIL
John Lawford
Counsel, Public Interest Advocacy Centre
piac@piac.ca
Re: Application for costs by PIAC/CAC for their participation in the proceeding initiated by PIAC pursuant to Part 1 of the Rules of Procedure regarding certain billing practices of wireless service providers, File 8661-P8-201116807 – Our file 4754-399
Dear Mr. Lawford:
In their application for costs in the above noted proceeding, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and the Consumers’ Association of Canada (CAC) have claimed 62.05 hours for legal services provided by the claimant Jean François Léger, senior counsel with 25 years of completed practice, at a rate of $290 per hour. The time sheet attached to Form 1 – Summary of Legal Fees for this claimant includes a number of hours where the work performed is described as research, research and drafting, or follow-up research. The hours claimed for follow-up research are listed at a ½ rate. PIAC/CAC have also claimed 1.7 days for legal services provided by the claimant Roxanne Gunning, an articling student employed by PIAC. The time sheet attached to Form 1 – Summary of Legal fees for this claimant describes the work performed as research regarding FCC number portability and Quebec consumer protection law.
Commission staff notes that paragraph 23 of the Guidelines for the Assessment of Costs states that:
Applicants are encouraged to rely on junior counsel and articling students to the greatest extent possible. When senior counsel are relied on, applicants may be asked to demonstrate with supporting rationale why this reliance was necessary.
In light of the above, PIAC/CAC are requested to provide a response to the following questions by 22 June 2012:
1. Provide a description of the research undertaken by the claimant Mr. Léger and rationale for why it was necessary that senior counsel undertake this research rather than an articling student or junior counsel.
2. Where time has been recorded in the time sheet attached to Form 1 – Summary of Legal Fees for Mr. Léger as including both research and drafting, provide a breakdown of the amount of time spent on research versus the amount of time spent on drafting.
Please file this information via Access Key, and send a copy to Lisa McCreary at lisa.mccreary@crtc.gc.ca.
Yours Sincerely,
ORIGINAL SIGNED BY /
Crystal Hulley
Legal Counsel
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