High Court unveils new Business and Property Division as Chancery Division overhauled

The High Court of England and Wales is to create a Business and Property Division, replacing the Chancery Division and bringing England and Wales’ specialist civil courts under one divisional structure.

The judge-led reform, announced during London International Disputes Week last week, was backed by the UK government and will place the Commercial Court, the Technology and Construction Court (TCC) and the Admiralty Court within the new division. Those courts currently sit within the King’s Bench Division.

Colin Passmore KC (Hon), the City of London Law Society chairman, agreed, saying consolidating the courts into a single, coherent division was “a positive and much-needed step”. 

“It brings real clarity for court users, many of whom are international, while reinforcing the strength of English law and the specialist expertise that sets our courts apart,” he said.