Predicting the future: 2015 in commercial disputes, by Ian Gascoigne
A year ago, New Law Journal published an article in which a colleague and I speculated on the outlook for commercial litigation in 2014 (see “Opportunities & threats”, 164 NLJ 7594, p 6). Principally, we said that the courts’ grip on case management would tighten in the aftermath of Mitchell v News Group Newspapers [2013] EWCA Civ 1537, [2014] 2 All ER 430, but damages-based agreements would turn out to be slow burners. Both predictions proved to be correct. Resisting the advice to “quit while ahead”, the challenge of foreshadowing what will occur in 2015 is not as easy. I see it as a year of consolidation after two years’ upheaval.
Subtle difference
The outlook for commercial claims in 2015 is subtly different from a year ago. Then, the much-feared Jackson reforms, in use for nine months, were creating a real stir among dispute lawyers. Although at the start of 2014 many commercial claims were excluded from the rigour of mandatory costs budgeting, the rule for requesting relief from sanctions (CPR 3.9)
