 A law costs draftsman may be instructed to prepare a detailed bill of costs for assessment, to advise on law and procedure and, subsequently, if instructed by a solicitor or a litigant, to argue in support or to oppose the bill.Where a solicitor is representing a publicly funded client, a detailed bill is usually required to be assessed either by the court or the Legal Aid Agency before payment can be made out of the community legal fund to the solicitor.Whilst such bills are usually assessed without any formal hearing, if an amount has been disallowed in respect of which the solicitor wishes to object, an appointment can be obtained and the matter argued at a hearing.