header-logo header-logo

Defendants beware!

28 May 2009 / Nichola Evans
Issue: 7371 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , Commercial
printer mail-detail

CFAs are on the rise in commercial litigation, says Nichola Evans

* * * * * *

Conditional Fee Agreements (CFAs) were first introduced in the 1990s and the original objective was allow greater access to justice for those who either did not qualify for legal aid or were not wealthy enough to pursue litigation through the courts. Over the years the risk involved in litigation has passed to solicitors from clients and the Legal Services Commission.

Boom-time

The initial boom in the use of CFAs and after the event (ATE) insurance was in the personal injury sphere. Despite the fact that it was originally anticipated that they would be used in relation to other types of claims, CFAs backed by ATE insurance did not take off in commercial claims.

From 1 November 2005 a new regime came into place with the idea that unnecessary regulation would be taken away and courts should not be imposing draconian sanctions against solicitors where only a technical breach of the rules occurred. Cases decided since the new

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

DWF—19 appointments

DWF—19 appointments

Belfast team bolstered by three senior hires and 16 further appointments

Cadwalader—Andro Atlaga

Cadwalader—Andro Atlaga

Firm strengthens leveraged finance team with London partner hire

Knights—Ella Dodgson & Rebecca Laffan

Knights—Ella Dodgson & Rebecca Laffan

Double hire marks launch of family team in Leeds

NEWS
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve reports on Haynes v Thomson, the first judicial application of the Supreme Court’s For Women Scotland ruling in a discrimination claim, in this week's NLJ
Charlie Mercer and Astrid Gillam of Stewarts crunch the numbers on civil fraud claims in the English courts, in this week's NLJ. New data shows civil fraud claims rising steadily since 2014, with the King’s Bench Division overtaking the Commercial Court as the forum of choice for lower-value disputes
The Supreme Court issued a landmark judgment in July that overturned the convictions of Tom Hayes and Carlo Palombo, once poster boys of the Libor and Euribor scandal. In NLJ this week, Neil Swift of Peters & Peters considers what the ruling means for financial law enforcement
Small law firms want to embrace technology but feel lost in a maze of jargon, costs and compliance fears, writes Aisling O’Connell of the Solicitors Regulation Authority in this week's NLJ
Artificial intelligence may be revolutionising the law, but its misuse could wreck cases and careers, warns Clare Arthurs of Penningtons Manches Cooper in this week's NLJ
back-to-top-scroll