Increasing the cost of litigation could knock the “very valuable” appeal of the English court system to foreign litigants. Writing in this week’s NLJ, Hogan Lovells’ partner Nicholas Heaton questions the wisdom of hikes in court fees: “If the government has its way, in the face of virtually unanimous opposition during the consultation process, some commercial court litigants will have to pay fees six times as high as current fees—not all commercial court litigants are Russian oligarchs.”
23 May 2014
What price change?
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Penningtons Manches Cooper—Jean-François Le Gal
Penningtons Manches Cooper strengthens international disputes team with appointment of leading arbitration partner
Shakespeare Martineau—Aaron Sanders & Kate Saunders
Shakespeare Martineau strengthens trust and estates disputes team with new appointments
Bellevue Law—Shannon Moore
Bellevue Law strengthens employment disputes and international advisory capability with senior associate appointment
NEWS
A divorced woman has secured funding to participate in her former husband’s inquest after the Legal Aid Agency reconsidered repeated refusals
The Thirlwall Inquiry has exposed a ‘complete failure’ to protect babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital, but its recommendations must now be put into practice
More than 500 former rugby players can pursue brain injury claims despite serious failures to disclose documents ordered by the High Court
When does a solicitor’s retainer become a contentious business agreement? The Court of Appeal’s decision in Broadfield Law UK LLP v Barnes shows that listing hourly rates alone will not do, leaving firms and clients uncertain about their rights over bills
Developers in areas with poorly performing councils can apply directly to the Planning Inspectorate for permission under section 62A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990
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