Practico is a specialist consultancy focusing on costs in complex disputes, working with leading law firms on all aspects of costs resolution. The team is recognised for guiding clients through negotiations, mediations, and detailed assessments, and is particularly well regarded for its work in group litigation and collective actions, spanning data breach, product liability, and competition disputes. Co-head Andy Ellis is widely regarded as a go-to adviser on technical and strategic issues in high-value costs litigation. He is joined by Ed Marrow and Francesca Ellis, the latter noted for her expertise in handling costs claims and compiling and analysing high-value budgets in group, commercial, and media litigation.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Well-resourced, patient, knowledgeable and adept at explaining issues. They gave sensible, practical and pragmatic advice and brought the Defendant group with them.'
- 'Andy Ellis — excellent subject matter expertise; highly responsive.'
- 'Good costs team that is confident in this very niche practice area.'
- 'Francesca Ellis is a standout player when it comes to group action budgeting and the preparation of all that is necessary to present a coherent budget to the court. She is extremely reliable and very hard working.'
- 'Andy Ellis has excellent judgment and strategic input. A real stand out.''James Heawood has good technical skills.'
- 'Ed Marrow is completely excellent and a true expert – there is nothing he does not know in this field.'
- 'Practico are excellent in every way – I would not work with any other firm for anything to do with costs law. Their service is consistently outstanding and it is so reassuring to have them in your corner.'
- 'Francesca Ellis is utterly outstanding – whip-sharp, strategic, eminently sensible, calm under pressure and very, very funny. She is a delight to work with.'
Key clients
- Arnold & Porter
- Baker & McKenzie LLP
- Carter-Ruck
- Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
- Clifford Chance
- CMS
- Cooley
- DAC Beachcroft
- DLA Piper
- DWF
- Fladgate
- Government Legal Department
- Gowling
- gunnercooke
- Herbert Smith Freehills LLP
- Kennedys
- Linklaters
- Mishcon de Reya
- Osborne Clarke
- Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP
Work highlights
Retained by the group of Defendants in the Grenfell Tower Litigation to coordinate and manage the costs process, following the successful ADR.
Engaged by Herbert Smith Freehills, CMS, Kennedys and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton to prepare budgets in respect of the Pan NOx Emissions litigation.
Instructed by Mishcon de Reya in respect of its work for the Federal Republic of Nigeria in a high-profile case concerning an oil and gas contract.
Practice head
Andy Ellis; Ed Marrow; Francesca Ellis
Other key lawyers
James Heawood; James Parr