English law and London courts continue to lead the world in
delivering justice, the Law Society of England and Wales revealed
in a new report published today.
English law governs around 40% of all international business and
financial transactions and dominates international arbitration.
It is chosen for the majority of cases in London and ranks second
in major world arbitration centres like Singapore, Stockholm and
Hong Kong.
As the leading international centre for resolving commercial
disputes, the London Commercial Court handles over half of the
cases in under a week, drawing parties from more countries than
ever before.
UK legal services exports continue to rise reaching £9 billion in
2024, contributing to the economy and reflecting growing
international demand in the expertise of English and Welsh
lawyers.
“The UK is a leading international legal centre recognised and
respected the world over because of our laws and top legal
professionals,” Law Society of England and Wales president
Richard Atkinson said.
“However, the government needs to invest more in the country's
court infrastructure and people to ensure we maintain our global
standing. The Law Society is working hard to help our legal
professionals access markets worldwide, collaborating closely
with relevant authorities and international bodies.
“Our report provides great insight into the widespread use of
English law, London's world-leading commercial dispute courts and
our strong legal exports that power the country's global
influence, fuel the UK economy and create more jobs.”
Key stats
- London Commercial Court (LCC)
-
- The number of litigants appearing before the LCC
continued to increase, with six out of ten coming from
abroad, representing a record of 93 nationalities.
- The LCC remains ahead of the Civil and Commercial
Division of the Dubai International Financial Centre and the
New York Commercial Division.
- More than half (54%) of contested trials before the LCC
were completed in four working days between October 2023 and
September 2024.
- Strength of English law in international arbitration
-
- In 2024, 78% of arbitration cases in the LCIA related to
contracts governed by English law.
- Similarly, 27.4% of cases administered by the Singapore
International Arbitration Centre were based on English law,
making it the second most popular choice after Singapore law.
- English law also comes second in the Arbitration
Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce and in the
Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre.
- In the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Court of
Arbitration, English law contracts amounted to 15% of all new
cases, making it the most commonly used law – twice as used
as Swiss law, the next most popular law.
- The value of legal services exports
-
- UK Legal services exports increased from £6.48bn in 2020
to £9.02bn in 2024.
- Over the same period, the UK's trade balance for legal
services increased from £4.84bn to £7.4bn.
Notes to editors
- The full report can be found here.
