Palmerston North lawyer Jeremy McGuire is set to be part of a precedent-setting case in the Supreme Court.

A Palmerston North lawyer is set to argue in the country's highest court that he is entitled to legal costs, despite representing himself.

The issue is not even what Jeremy McGuire initially went to court over, but he is now about to take part in setting an important legal precedent.

The Supreme Court has granted McGuire leave to appeal against a decision denying him a judicial review against a decision declining his application to provide legal aid services.

But the appeal will also involve an argument over whether lawyers can claim legal costs if they are representing themselves.

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It is a long-held view that a self-represented litigant is not entitled to costs, except for in exceptional cases.

One of those exceptions was a lawyer defending themselves.

However, a 2017 Court of Appeal ruling found the lawyer-litigant exception was not justifiable.

A different ruling in the Supreme Court would change how costs are applied in the future.

The case has its origin in 2013, when McGuire applied to the secretary of justice to be an approved legal aid provider.

A selection committee recommended the secretary decline his application, and it duly was.

The most pressing issue was the allegation he did not meet professional entry requirements, due to outstanding client complaints.

He was later told there was nothing stopping him from applying again, but would likely be declined while the complaints were outstanding.

But those complaints were later settled, with the New Zealand Law Society considering McGuire to be of good standing.

The society also issued him a letter, apologising for stress, inconvenience and embarrassment caused to him by errors the society committed.

Despite that, he was unable to get the secretary's decision reviewed.

The secretary failed to have the claim struck out, but was not ordered to pay him costs.

There have since been appeals filed by McGuire and the secretary over various issues.

The Supreme Court hearing is scheduled for August.