Eleven law firms, including Kennedys, Hill Dickinson and Keoghs, have secured places on a refreshed government panel that provides cost law services.

The panel, run by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and named the cost lawyer services framework, will run for two years with a total budget of up to £64 million. It will advise a range of ministerial and non-ministerial government departments.

Other members of the panel include Browne Jacobson, Plexus Law and Hempsons, along with a number of cost law specialists.

Cost law covers the estimation and budgeting of litigation costs, including correspondence and negotiation with other parties involved and the resolution of any disputes.

Panel members are split across three categories: clinical negligence, security clearance and general cost law.

The firms will also be expected to conduct advocacy in relation to cost-related hearings, according to the contract details released by the CCS.

The panel is part of the wider public sector legal services framework, which more than 80 firms bid to be part of following a review process by the CCS in 2018.

The panel replaces the 'law costs draftsmen services' framework, which, according to the tender document, has now expired.

For Keoghs, the panel place is the latest of two recent government mandate wins, with the firm winning a contract in May, alongside BLM, to provide litigation services to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Gowling WLG also won a four-year contract earlier this year, worth up to £2.9 million, assisting the MoD on matters including how to use legal input to minimise costs and maximise efficiency.

The 2019 cost lawyer services panel in full:

Acumension

Alternative Costs

Browne Jacobson

Hempsons

Hill Dickinson

Horwich Farrelly Solicitors

Kennedys

Keoghs

Phoenix Legal Services

Plexus Law

QM Legal Costs Solutions