Leeds court system overhaul set to “modernise” business cases

A new court has been launched in Leeds, the Leeds Combined Court Centre, merging commercial, technology and construction divisions in an attempt to “modernise” court services.

It will be based in the Leeds Combined Court Centre on Oxford Row in Leeds, and merge the commercial, construction, engineering, technology, financial services, insolvency and competition courts.

The specialist courts being merged are the Commercial Court, including the Admiralty Court and Circuit Commercial Court, formerly the Mercantile Court, the Technology and Construction Court (TCC), and the Courts of the Chancery Division.

The new court will be operational from October 2017 and was formally launched at a special reception at BPP University in Leeds on 10 July 2017.

Sue Harris, Immediate Past President and chairwoman of the Leeds Law Society’s Court Liaison Group said: “I am delighted that solicitors, other practitioners and court users from the region’s business community have had a chance to find out more about the introduction of the new Business and Property Court. Leeds is a very important legal centre and the changes promises to enhance the connection between the work undertaken in this region and London.

“This development is welcome as it builds on the commitment from the judiciary, Court Service and practitioners in Leeds, to ensure that first rate access to justice continues to be available for businesses and other court users in our region.”

Sir Geoffrey Vos, chancellor of the High Court of England and Wales, said: “I am delighted about the enthusiasm, even excitement that the launch of the Business & Property Courts has generated amongst the legal community and business users generally, both in the regions and in Leeds.

“When the Business & Property Courts go live on 2 October 2017, the specialist jurisdictions of our courts will all be using names that national and international business people can readily understand.

“The judges of the Business & Property Courts are high calibre forward looking people, who understand the importance of providing a state of the art service to court users.”