March 20, 2017

From June of this year, the Business and Property Courts will be the new name for England and Wales’ international dispute resolution jurisdictions and will act as a single umbrella for business specialist courts across England and Wales.

It will encompass the following specialist courts and lists of the High Court:

• the Commercial Court, (including the Admiralty Court and Mercantile Court);
• the Technology and Construction Court (“TCC”): and
• the courts of the Chancery Division (including those dealing with financial services, intellectual property, competition, and insolvency).

The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary say that the new arrangements will preserve the familiar practices and procedures of these courts, whilst allowing for more flexible cross-deployment of judges with suitable expertise and experience to sit on appropriate business and property cases.

This new structure together with the Financial List and the Shorter and Flexible Trial Scheme, will enhance the UK’s already respected reputation for international dispute resolution and will play a part in ensuring that Britain continues to provide the best business court-based dispute resolution service in the world, served by a top-class independent judiciary.

There will also be Business and Property Courts in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol and in Cardiff, with expansions to Newcastle and Liverpool likely in the future. The new arrangements will enhance the connection between the specialist Business and Property work undertaken in the regions and in London. In London, these specialist jurisdictions already operate together at the Rolls Building.

Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, said: “The judiciary is committed to maintaining Britain’s reputation as the best place in the world for court-based dispute resolution. These changes will ensure that our courts and judiciary continue to lead the world in this field.” To read the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary press release in full, click here.