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24 March 2026
Issue: 8155 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , Dispute resolution
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High stakes litigation on the rise

High-stakes litigation is on the rise in the Commercial Court, according to law firm HFW’s litigation trends report, Inside London’s Commercial Court

The report, published last week, analyses court documents covering the past 12 years. It reveals the average judgment value soared from about £10m to almost £40m in 2025, while the median claim duration rose from 509 days in 2024 to 819 days, due to increased complexity.

HFW partner Andrew Williams said: ‘HFW is seeing an increasing influx of major cases coming to the Commercial Court. We expect this trend for bet-the-company disputes being heard by the court only to increase.’

Issue: 8155 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , Dispute resolution
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gateley Legal—Jack Kelly

Gateley Legal—Jack Kelly

Gateley Legal expands Midlands residential development team

Gibson Dunn—Richard Surtees

Gibson Dunn—Richard Surtees

Gibson Dunn adds employee benefits and executive compensation practice in London with partner Richard Surtees

Laytons ETL—Alec Cameron

Laytons ETL—Alec Cameron

Laytons ETL appoints new partner and head of intellectual property disputes

NEWS
A series of recent decisions has clarified important principles across property law, from perpetuities to lease renewals and public rights over land
Employers cannot rely on wellbeing services alone to defend workplace stress claims after a High Court decision awarding almost £1m to an overworked employee
Andy Burnham's brand of 'Manchesterism' could offer fresh thinking on legal aid and access to justice if it reaches Westminster, according to Roger Smith, NLJ columnist and former director of JUSTICE
The constitutional fallout from a change of prime minister, rather than the politics, is under scrutiny as questions arise over the limits of executive authority in a leadership transition
The legal profession is undergoing a fundamental shift from selling services to creating technology-enabled products, according to Professor Luke Mason, Head of School of Law at Regent's University London
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