Where a case is publicly funded, costs must be assessed and approved before the legal aid can be paid to the solicitor representing the legal aid client. If the total amount claimed is less than £2500 then a CLAIM 1 form is prepared by the costs draftsman and assessed by the Legal Aid Agency. Where costs exceed £2500 a bill of costs, similar in format to that prepared for detailed assessment of inter partes costs, is prepared and this is assessed by the  Court before being paid by the Agency. The requirement to attend court to oppose or support a bill of costs may arise in any of the above three categories. Members of the Association who are qualified as costs lawyers have a right of audience and are entitled to appear as an advocate in relation to disputes as to costs. In addition under the Civil Procedure Rules 1999, a Fellow of the Association may be instructed as an expert by a litigant in person to advise on aspects of costs law and the litigant may recover any reasonable fees thereby incurred if he is awarded costs in his favour. Higher value matters are generally referred to Regional Costs Judges. Claims based in London are referred to the Senior Courts Costs Office (previously named the Supreme Court Costs Office). Law costs draftsmen must be skilled in the application of the statutory law relating to legal costs, and be familiar with the system of legal fees. For this reason, many firms of litigation solicitors retain law costs draftsmen as employees. Others rely on the services of dedicated costs drafting organisations and independent draftsmen. Since 1 January 2007, by virtue of the "Association of Law Costs Draftsmen Order 2006", the ALCD has been capable of granting rights of audience to its members. In 2007, in light of the procurement of rights of audience, the ALCD has bestowed the title of "costs lawyer" upon all Fellows of the Association who have successfully completed a designated advocacy course. Such rights have considerably enhanced the status and reputation of those in the profession who have qualified as costs lawyers.