My housemate is a PI solicitor and I've never heard her say anything other than their fees getting paid for by the defence!
And by defence I don't necessarily mean in court, just the company or whoever is being issued with the claim.
Weird!
I'd hazard that is usually a contractual issue between him and his clients on a no win no fee basis (from the compensation awarded, the client is obliged to depart with x% of the compensation offered).
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