UK government announces reforms to consumer ADR services

The UK government recently published a report announcing a wide range of far-reaching changes to the UK competition and consumer protection regulatory regimes, following a consultation last year. The key reforms are examined on our Competition Notes blog, here.  Below, we highlight a less prominent aspect of the report, regarding the role of ADR services … Read more

Compulsory ADR: A commercial litigation perspective

Over the past year, both the civil judiciary and the Ministry of Justice have made clear their shared policy aim of bringing about a paradigm shift in the civil justice system, to one in which ADR is embedded into court procedure and culture at all stages of the process (see, for example, here and here).  … Read more

CEDR produces guide to investor-state mediation

The Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) has released an investor-state Mediation Guide to assist lawyers and users of investor-state mediation with the process. HSF Partner Andrew Cannon, a member of CEDR’s advisory group of leading practitioners, contributed to the Guide. There have been a number of mediation-focused initiatives in the field of investor-state disputes … Read more

UK government report on responses to its Call for Evidence on ADR

The Ministry of Justice has published a Report summarising the responses it received to a Call for Evidence it issued in August last year. Although entitled a Call for Evidence on Dispute Resolution in England and Wales, the document was in fact focused on methods of resolving disputes apart from litigation –  including mediation, conciliation, … Read more

Should the UK sign the Singapore Convention? Weighing the issues…

As we previously reported, the UK government is currently consulting on whether the UK should sign the UN Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation, more commonly known as the Singapore Convention. The consultation closes on 1 April 2022. The Convention establishes a framework under which Member States agree to recognise and enforce settlements of … Read more