The many challenges of 2022 – continued impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns; the war in Ukraine; global energy crisis; commodities shortages; rising inflation and interest rates – have continued into 2023, creating a perfect storm of financial pressures on companies and leading to an uptick in contractual disputes, insolvencies, and civil fraud claims. Disputes of this nature are core areas of expertise for commercial litigators in London, such that, despite concerns around the potential impact of Brexit, London remains a highly attractive forum for their resolution.
Added to the mix however are new issues for litigators to grapple with: disputes arising from the scrutiny of regulators and consumers alike in relation to ESG and competition issues (in the broadest sense), spurred on by increased political pressure and a burgeoning litigation funding market; and in the tech sphere, the law has had to adapt to accommodate disputes related to crypto assets (and inevitably soon generative AI). We summarise some recent developments and key trends in these areas.
