The High Court's Chancery Division to be replaced by a new Business and Property Division

The government, in a written statement to Parliament, has said - 

'The Government is pleased to support a judiciary-led initiative to modernise the structure of the High Court through the establishment of a new Business and Property Division. This historic modernisation will ensure the UK remains a global hub for corporate litigation.

It will bring together the current Business and Property Courts into a single division, which will replace the Chancery Division.

The Business and Property Courts are

a collection of specialist civil courts which deal with high-value, complex disputes, including commercial, business, property, technology and intellectual property cases. These courts play a significant role in supporting the UK’s legal services sector and wider economy, with a substantial proportion of cases involving international parties.

At present, these courts are situated across both the Chancery Division and the King’s Bench Division. This arrangement can create challenges for users in navigating the system and leads to overlapping governance responsibilities.

Relevant Business and Property Courts will be transferred into the Chancery Division, which will be renamed the Business and Property Division. Leadership of the new Division will rest with the current Chancellor of the High Court, who will assume the title of President of the Business and Property Division.

The new Business and Property Division will stand alongside the King’s Bench and Family Divisions of the High Court. The individual courts and lists that make up the new Division will continue their work as they do now, keeping their existing jurisdictions, identities and areas of expertise .....'

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