 |
| Leeds Courthouse
© 2005 Jane Lambert: all rights reserved
|
Jane Lambert
On Monday 10 July 2017, the Leeds Law Society held a reception at BPP Law School to launch the Business and Property Courts in Leeds (see Leeds Law Society Business & Property Court Launch Event). The Business and Property Courts is an amalgam of the chancery and commercial courts sitting in Leeds and the idea is to integrate those courts with others sitting in London. I mentioned this initiative and discussed its potential significance to the economy of the North in Launch of a Judicial Superhighway? 12 June 2017 IP North West).
As I said in that article, litigators and advocates will have to get used to listing cases in one of 11 specialist lists one of which will be "Intellectual Property" regardless of the nature of the IP right and the court in which the action will proceed. Having chosen a list the claimant's legal representative will have to choose a court centre where the claim will be issued and where it is to proceed. Advocates will have to get used to settling statements of case in the "Business and Property Courts in Leeds" rather than the name of the Division and the District Registry,
The reason why I say this development affects more than just lawyers is that it should allow any case to be heard in Leeds no matter how big and regardless of the subject matter. If any kind of work can be done in Leeds there will be less incentive for bright young men and women to leave the city to practise in London. Such lawyers should be able to service entrepreneurs and other creative people which may be far more significant for economic regeneration than the millions to be spent on infrastructure projects for the North.
Should you want to discuss this post or dispute litigation in Leeds generally, call me on 020 7404 5252 or send me a message through my contact form.
