Legal costs

Request spending on external legal fees for a specific matter or period.

Public bodies sometimes spend large sums on external lawyers for litigation, judicial reviews, employment tribunals, and other legal matters. These costs are paid from public funds.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total amount spent on external legal services. 2. For each matter where external legal fees exceeded [AMOUNT e.g. £10,000], please provide: a. The nature of the matter, without identifying any individuals involved. b. The law firm instructed. c. The total fees paid. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]
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Who to send it to#

Any Scottish public authority. Find the right authority on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

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Tips#

  • The authority may redact details that could identify individuals in ongoing cases, but the total spend and firm names should be available.
  • Setting a threshold (e.g. £10,000) keeps the request manageable and focuses on the most significant matters.
  • If you already know about a specific legal case, you can tailor the request to ask about that matter directly.