United Kingdom: Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration

A client facing historic rape allegations was spared prosecution after detailed legal representations highlighted digital communications that contradicted the complainant's account.

As AI tools become embedded in legal practice, their use in international arbitration raises pressing questions about award enforcement, privilege protection, and procedural risk. Recent court decisions and institutional rule-making confirm that generative AI is no longer hypothetical but an active source of concern, with cases already addressing AI-hallucinated authorities, delegation of decision-making, and the protection of privilege in arbitral proceedings.

The High Court has ordered company directors to surrender their mobile devices to an independent reviewer for disclosure of instant messages, establishing that privacy rights do not automatically override disclosure obligations. This landmark decision addresses the intersection of agency law, disclosure requirements, and Article 8 privacy protections in modern litigation involving digital communications.

A client facing historic rape allegations was spared prosecution after detailed legal representations highlighted digital communications that contradicted the complainant's account.

As AI tools become embedded in legal practice, their use in international arbitration raises pressing questions about award enforcement, privilege protection, and procedural risk. Recent court decisions and institutional rule-making confirm that generative AI is no longer hypothetical but an active source of concern, with cases already addressing AI-hallucinated authorities, delegation of decision-making, and the protection of privilege in arbitral proceedings.

The first judgment relates to Case C‑483/23,wherethe Italian Financial Security Committee froze the assets of four Italian companies on the basis that those assets were, pursuant to Article 2 of EU Regulation...

Private rented tenancies remain one of the leading routes into homelessness across the West Midlands. For years, tenants could lose their homes through a Section 21 "no-fault" eviction even where they had paid...

A UK court dismissed sanctions charges against art gallery Hauser & Wirth and logistics company Artay Rauchweger, ruling that prosecutors failed to prove the buyer of luxury artwork was "ordinarily resident" in Russia at the time of sale. The judge determined that evidence of continuing connection to Russia was insufficient to meet the statutory test for ordinary residence under UK sanctions regulations.

England and Wales are implementing a digital-first approach to possession proceedings through new Online Procedure Rules, set to launch in pilot form in July 2026. Will this transformation of traditional County Court litigation truly deliver faster, cheaper justice, or simply add another layer of procedural complexity to an already overburdened system?

The English Court of Appeal has ruled that a state's ratification of the New York Convention does not constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity in enforcement proceedings. Does this decision create obstacles for investors seeking to enforce arbitral awards against states, and what strategies should parties employ when contracting with state entities?

The Court of Appeal has ruled that ratifying the New York Convention does not waive a state's sovereign immunity in enforcement proceedings, creating a significant distinction from ICSID Convention protections. This decision clarifies the complex interaction between international arbitration treaties and state immunity rules, with important implications for investors seeking to enforce arbitral awards against sovereign states. The judgment contrasts sharply with recent Supreme Court precedent on ICSID award

English Court Of Appeal Rules That Signing The New York Convention Does Not Waive State Immunity From Adjudication