header-logo header-logo

Home Login E-newsletter About us
26 July 2024 / Charlotte Hill
Issue: 8081 / Categories: Features , Profession
printer mail-detail

Class actions: All for one…

© Copyright LexisNexis 2026. All Rights Reserved.
183106
Charlotte Hill provides an update on the pivotal role of group litigation in the English legal landscape
  • Presents a history of the evolution of group litigation in England, and outlines the three current regimes.

Group litigation plays a pivotal role in the English legal landscape. While traditionally associated with US legal procedures, group litigation (also known as class actions) have gained prominence across Europe and in the UK in recent years. Available in English courts for over a century, they form an integral part of modern English civil procedure. The increasing trend in group litigation can be attributed to factors such as access to third-party litigation funding and technological advancements, underscoring the evolution and acceptance of this practice in the UK.

Evolution of group litigation

While we have seen a large increase in the use of group litigation over recent years, this is not a novel concept for the English justice system. As far back as 1893, the Rules of the Supreme Court (the RSC) (the CPR’s predecessor) provided (at

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Read All
Sponsored by
Thackray Williams—Lucy Zhu

Thackray Williams—Lucy Zhu

Dual-qualified partner joins as head of commercial property department

Morgan Lewis—David A. McManus

Morgan Lewis—David A. McManus

Firm announces appointment of next chair

Burges Salmon—Rebecca Wilsker

Burges Salmon—Rebecca Wilsker

Director joins corporate team from the US

NEWS
Read All
NLJ this week: Policing the safeguards when appointing trust corporations
What safeguards apply when trust corporations are appointed as deputy by the Court of Protection? 
NLJ this week: What the court considers when assessing refusal of ADR
Disputing parties are expected to take part in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), where this is suitable for their case. At what point, however, does refusing to participate cross the threshold of ‘unreasonable’ and attract adverse costs consequences?
NLJ this week: Finding innovative ways to fund the justice gap
When it comes to free legal advice, demand massively outweighs supply. 'Millions of people are excluded from access to justice as they don’t have anywhere to turn for free advice—or don’t know that they can ask for help,' Bhavini Bhatt, development director at the Access to Justice Foundation, writes in this week's NLJ
NLJ this week: Two’s company, but three’s a crowd in financial provision cases
When an ex-couple is deciding who gets what in the divorce or civil partnership dissolution, when is it appropriate for a third party to intervene? David Burrows, NLJ columnist and solicitor advocate, considers this thorny issue in this week’s NLJ
Charities Appeals Supplement: March 2026
NLJ's latest Charities Appeals Supplement has been published in this week’s issue
Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
back-to-top-scroll