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NLJ this week: Hague 2019 enters force—but will it deliver consistency?

11 July 2025
Issue: 8124 / Categories: Legal News , Commercial , Jurisdiction , Dispute resolution , International
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In this week’s NLJ, Ben Roe of Baker McKenzie explores the UK’s adoption of the Hague Judgments Convention 2019, which came into force on 1 July

The convention simplifies cross-border enforcement of civil and commercial judgments, plugging post-Brexit gaps left by the Brussels and Lugano regimes. Hague 2019 complements Hague 2005 (on jurisdiction clauses) and introduces a new CPR 74.4(7) process for registration.

However, Roe warns of challenges: the convention excludes key areas like IP, family law, and arbitration, and relies on ‘indirect jurisdictional filters’ that may be inconsistently applied. Without a central interpretive body like the CJEU, national courts may diverge on key definitions, risking fragmentation. Article 29 opt-outs could further erode multilateralism.

While the convention is a step forward, its success hinges on judicial coherence and broader international uptake—especially from the US, which has signed but not ratified. 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Boies Schiller Flexner—Tim Smyth

Boies Schiller Flexner—Tim Smyth

Firm promotes London international arbitration specialist to partnership

Katten Muchin Rosenman—James Davison & Victoria Procter

Katten Muchin Rosenman—James Davison & Victoria Procter

Firm bolsters restructuring practice with senior London hires

HFW—Guy Marrison

HFW—Guy Marrison

Global aviation disputes practice boosted by London partner hire

NEWS
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After the Southport murders and the misinformation that followed, contempt of court law has come under intense scrutiny. In this week's NLJ, Lawrence McNamara and Lauren Schaefer of the Law Commission unpack proposals aimed at restoring clarity without sacrificing fair trial rights
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A construction defect claim in the Court of Appeal offers a sharp lesson in pleading discipline. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ, Stephen Gold explains how a catastrophically drafted schedule of loss derailed otherwise viable claims. Across the areas explored in this week's column, the message is consistent: clarity, economy and proper pleading matter more than ever
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