DLA Piper is advising former News of the World (NoW) editor Andy Coulson on his claim against the now-defunct tabloid's publisher, News Group Newspapers.

The claim, which has been filed in the High Court by DLA corporate crime and investigations partner Jo Rickards, relates to the withdrawal of payment for Coulson's legal fees by News Group.

It is understood that News Group has only withdrawn payment for Coulson's criminal legal fees surrounding his arrest and bail this summer, and is still paying his legal fees relating to the select committee and Leveson Inquiry – the public inquiry into media standards and phone-hacking.

Coulson has come under intense scrutiny in recent months over the extent to which he was aware of alleged phone-hacking at NoW during his tenure editor of the paper between 2003 and 2007.

Following his resignation from NoW he worked for Prime Minister David Cameron as communications director until January this year.

A spokesperson for DLA said: "We can confirm that proceedings have been issued."

News Group's parent company News International declined to comment.

The news follows the announcement last week that Taylor Hampton's Mark Lewis is set to file a US class action against News Corporation relating to allegations of phone-hacking and police bribery by NoW staff.

Lewis – who represents a number of phone-hacking victims such as the family of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler – has instructed New York civil liberties lawyer Norman Siegel to assist him on the action.

For more, see Dowler family lawyer targets News Corp with US class action.