Coventry v Lawrence provokes mixed feelings

The much-anticipated Supreme Court case of Coventry v Lawrence provokes “mixed feelings”, according to litigation lawyer David Greene.

The Supreme Court held 5-2 that the conditional fee regime does not breach human rights, at [2015] UKSC 50.

Writing in NLJ this week, Greene, senior partner at Edwin Coe and NLJ consultant editor, says: “On the one hand, as a claimant lawyer I welcomed the finding but on the other hand I felt disappointed that after all this time and angst the court said ‘no change’ notwithstanding that it was the Supreme Court that seemed to start this hare running. The judgment is fascinating reading but the whole process has been somewhat of a damp squib.” Greene adds that the court “reminded us that the major issue for the court when examining legislation is not whether it is fair in its application...The test initially in challenging legislation is whether it was a disproportionate way to achieving a legitimate aim.”