Background
Francis has over 25 years of legal costing experience with expert knowledge in a wide range of legal costs issues acting for a variety of clients. He specialises in commercial work for City Law firms and major accounting practices. His previous positions have given an extensive experience of all aspects of costs issues from the outset of proceedings, through the budgeting process to recovery of legal costs between the parties. He has been instructed direct by large companies to audit legal costs in litigation and in 2018 was deposed in US litigation as a legal costs expert.
Francis represents a wide range of professional clients including prominent international law firms and niche legal practices. He deals with substantial contentious and non-contentious costs issues and is CPD accredited to conduct in-house seminars.
Francis has been an elected member of the council of the Association of Costs Lawyers and is currently vice chairman. He regularly presents and chairs at conferences dealing with legal costs. He is also a regular contributor to several legal publications.
Current Role & Responsibilities
Francis is a Costs Lawyer and a Director with Kain Knight (City) Ltd having previously been a Partner in another large City based costs firm. He has over 25 years’ experience in dealing with all aspects of legal costs to include in house positions.
Francis services commercial law firms, corporate entities and in-house legal departments including auditing and providing advice on litigation budgets. Francis is a skilled advocate often representing clients at court hearings in all forums for their budgeting and detailed assessment requirements. His experience includes appearances in the Privy Council, House of Lords and providing expert evidence in the US as well as the more traditional County Courts, Senior Courts Costs Office, High Court and Court of Appeal.
Francis’ specialisms mainly include the preparation and opposition of legal costs predominantly in relation to high value commercial disputes in the United Kingdom including extensive experience in privacy, IP and VAT disputes.
As an accredited CLSB (Costs Lawyers Standards Board) trainer Francis is experienced and able to conduct tailored seminars and talks to clients and staff.
Education & Qualifications
Having been an Associate and Fellow of the Association of Law Costs Draftsmen for many years Francis became a Costs Lawyer of the Association of Costs Lawyers in May 2008.
Professional Memberships
Member, elected councillor and vice chairman of the Association of Costs Lawyers.
Legal Directories
The UK Legal 500 says that London based Francis Kendall is recommended for contentious and non-contentious costs issues.
They say ‘Kain Knight have exceptional service standards coupled with deep industry knowledge.’
Interests
Francis is a keen golfer and snow boarder and, during lockdown, has taken up kick boxing training and park runs. He has also re-ignited a long lost interest in dungeons and dragons with some university friends as a result of the first lockdown.
