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Litigants prefer London

08 May 2019
Issue: 7839 / Categories: Legal News , Procedure & practice , Brexit , Commercial
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London’s commercial courts have enjoyed a record year despite the approach of Brexit, with 1,012 litigants from 28 countries. 

US, Russian, Kazakh and Ukrainian litigants were prominent across all 258 cases in 2018/19, according to the Commercial Courts Report, published by Portland Disputes specialist litigation consultants. The number of cases rose 63% on the previous year, and the number of litigants increased by 54%.

The figures are good news for London lawyers, who have expressed concern about other jurisdictions stealing London’s crown post-Brexit. They show that London remains the forum of choice, despite competition from courts such as Singapore International Commercial Court.

Philip Hall, head of Portland’s disputes practice, said: ‘The coming years will be interesting as courts in London and around the world adapt their offers to the changing demands of international businesses in dispute.’

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