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NLJ this week: Courts in command—UK dispute resolution leads through crisis

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John McElroy of Fieldfisher reports on a London International Disputes Week panel where senior judges showcased how the Business and Property Courts are adapting to global instability, in this week’s NLJ

Mr Justice Foxton, Mr Justice Green and Mr Justice Waksman highlighted reforms in disclosure, hybrid hearings, and AI-assisted litigation. The courts’ agility, transparency and international appeal were praised, with cases like Aercap v AIG ($4.5bn) and cross-border insolvencies cited as proof of their global relevance.

McElroy notes that while AI tools are improving efficiency, judges urged caution to ensure access remains equitable. The panel also proposed reforms: faster trials for simpler cases, stronger settlement incentives, and specialist disclosure judges.

With a tech-enabled infrastructure and a reform-minded judiciary, McElroy argues the UK courts are not just weathering global risks—they’re setting the standard for modern dispute resolution.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Mourant—Stephen Alexander

Mourant—Stephen Alexander

Jersey litigation lead appointed to global STEP Council

mfg Solicitors—nine trainees

mfg Solicitors—nine trainees

Firm invests in future talent with new training cohort

360 Law Group—Anthony Gahan

360 Law Group—Anthony Gahan

Investment banking veteran appointed as chairman to drive global growth

NEWS
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
Bea Rossetto of the National Pro Bono Centre makes the case for ‘General Practice Pro Bono’—using core legal skills to deliver life-changing support, without the need for niche expertise—in this week's NLJ
In this week's NLJ, Steven Ball of Red Lion Chambers unpacks how advances in forensic science finally unmasked Ryland Headley, jailed in 2025 for the 1967 rape and murder of 75-year-old Louisa Dunne. Preserved swabs and palm prints lay dormant for decades until DNA-17 profiling produced a billion-to-one match
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
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