The total claims year 2024 has dropped 10% compared to last year. Now the total number of claims has reached 3,380. There was a significant drop in the commercial lawsuits filed in London’s Commercial Courts. This marks six years in a row with decreased claims being filed. This shift emphasises the changing pattern of commercial litigation in the UK and a new ecosystem where solicitors are crucial in dealing with the complexities that come with breach of contract disputes. Understanding Breach of Contract A breach of a contract can happen whenever a party does not perform what they agreed to […]

A former women’s football club owner has won a divorce court fight with her Bitcoin millionaire ex-husband over their £7million family home. Diane Culligan, 63, and financier ex Anthony, 62, lived a lavish lifestyle funded by his Bitcoin fortune after he turned a £10,000 crypto purse into £20million. They shared a £7m nine-bed home with seven bathrooms and a home cinema, in Primrose Hill, north London, and ploughed a fortune into building a rental property portfolio. Mrs Culligan also founded Women’s Championship football side London City Lionesses after it broke away from Millwall FC – until she sold the team […]

Thousands of documents released in an ‘extraordinary’ inadvertent disclosure should be allowed to be used in a claim over the National Lottery competition, a court has heard. In an application hearing, Mrs Justice Jefford heard that international firm Hogan Lovells LLP had incorrectly disclosed 4,321 documents containing privileged material to the claimants, the New Lottery Company Limited and Northern & Shell plc. In written submissions, Sa’ad Hossain KC, for the claimants, said ‘the scale of Hogan Lovells/the Gambling Commission’s purported error is unprecedented’. The claimants seek to use some of the documents in preparing their amended pleadings to the substantive claim. […]

At London International Disputes Week (LIDW) last June, the lady chief justice called ‘for the three main forms of dispute resolution – mediation, arbitration and litigation – to come together and consider how they can best complement each other and learn from each other’. She returned to this theme in her recent President’s Circle Lecture at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law suggesting, among other things, ‘the establishment of a London Dispute Resolution Committee to make recommendations on how best we can provide a holistic approach to international mediation, arbitration and litigation. Such an approach would mirror the […]

What is a personal mission statement? It’s a declaration that describes your core values and your future goals. So, what better thing to do than to create a personal mission statement during your divorce? A divorce mission statement can help you stay focused and accountable during divorce. It’s so easy to lose sight of our values and goals in the messy day-to-day of the divorce process. In my practice, clients who create and use a divorce mission statement find it easier to prioritize, stay focused on the big picture and make decisions they feel good about along the way. Below are personal […]

“We’ve been sued” — words few want to hear. Being served with an unexpected lawsuit can throw your entire organization into disarray. Even expected litigation can leave you scrambling to figure out the next steps. Yet, these days litigation seems to be a cost of doing business. And, as with any expense, you strive to minimize those costs — whether financial or operational. The goal? Resolve a dispute swiftly and in the most favorable, cost-effective way possible. The game plan? Analyze relevant law and facts to assess the merits of the claims and form an appropriate strategy, which often includes […]

A divorce expert is warning that many couples are not considering a key asset when it comes to divorce – what happens to their pension pots. As a result, lower earning partners may be missing out on up to £80,000, alongside the emotional turmoil and child custody negotiations that many experience. Separating assets, including property and possessions, are among the main obstacles faced by spouses as they look to cement amicable splitting. James Brien, founder of Easy Online Divorce, says the pressure of the situation often leads to them ignoring other aspects, particularly pensions, which could leave one party seriously out of pocket […]

Listen to this article Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright’s 20th Annual Litigation Trends Survey, released in January, found that nearly half of corporate counsel expect an increase in the amount of lawsuits and regulatory investigations impacting their organizations this year.We checked in with two local law firms to see what business litigation trends they’re seeing an uptick in and for tips on how businesses can protect themselves from litigation. Lauren Mendolera “One of the things that we’re seeing is more prevalence of litigation for trade secrets and to protect IP [intellectual property],” said Lauren R. Mendolera, an attorney who […]

Prepare for the conversation While it may be tempting to leap on the breakup bandwagon after a hot cross summer, knowing the perfect time to file for divorce is a complex question. Feltham says she often spends up to an hour helping people pick the right time to have the conversation. “The big thing I’m looking for here is if I feel there is a safety risk,” she says. “If I don’t think the parties are at risk then I talk them through my basics: ensuring that there are no ‘little ears’ around; using clear and kind language; and having […]

Rory McIlroy has addressed his divorce U-turn with wife Erica Stoll and expressed hope for the pair in his new documentary. In May of last year, the professional golfer announced that he was separating from his wife after seven years of marriage. However, in a shocking U-turn just weeks later, Rory called off his divorce from wife Erica Stoll. During the Netflix series Full Swing, Rory touched on the turbulent time in his life saying: “There’s parts of my life that I like to keep as private as possible. Unfortunately, in this line of work that isn’t always possible.” Addressing the […]

At the start of Sarah Manguso’s new novel, Liars, she writes: “In the beginning, I was only myself. Then I married a man, as women do. My life became archetypal, a drag show of nuclear familyhood. I got enmeshed in a story that had already been told ten billion times.” If it’s a story that’s been told ten billion times, it’s now many more. If you look at the bestseller lists, there’s a profusion of new books – both fiction and memoir – on divorce. Many bestselling writers, including Miranda July, Leslie Jamison, Sarah Manguso and this month, Jojo Moyes […]

On February 28, 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced the termination of its litigation against several major cryptocurrency firms, as reported by Nic Carter on Twitter (Carter, 2025). The exact firms involved in the litigation were not disclosed, but the decision has immediate implications for the cryptocurrency market. At the time of the announcement, Bitcoin (BTC) experienced a sharp increase of 5.2% within the first hour, reaching a price of $67,890 at 10:15 AM EST (CoinMarketCap, 2025). Ethereum (ETH) followed with a 4.8% rise to $3,890 at the same time (CoinGecko, 2025). The trading volume for BTC […]

When I think of a bully, I think of grade school or middle school kids being mean on the playground. But any one at any age can be a bully and that includes during divorce. I’m talking about the divorce bully. When people are getting divorced, they deal with all kinds of emotions:  resentment, anger, hurt, bitterness, fear, confusion and more. Sometimes, a person can take their emotions–especially anger combined with fear, and become a divorce bully. Reasons a person becomes a bully in divorce: 1. Self-protection: The bully feels like if he is the aggressor, by scaring or threatening […]

When it comes to divorce, recognizing opportunities can be difficult, since divorce can feel chaotic. Your world is suddenly upside down. Chaos is the opposite of control. Now consider the word “opportunity.”  For me, this has positive emotions connected to it, as in, “What a great opportunity!”  I’ve never heard anyone say, “That’s a terrible opportunity for you.”  It has always held the notion that good things lie ahead if only you give it a chance. Interestingly, the Chinese symbol for chaos is the same for opportunity.  The Chinese have a proverb, “A crisis is an opportunity riding a dangerous […]

When it comes to litigation to slow or stop the recruitment of a team by a competitor, disputes are often resolved in confidential negotiations or with recruiting firms getting cold feet once plans are unearthed. But as the war for talent rages, the tide may be turning. The stakes are high, but the risk of doing (or being seen to do) little could be a green light for a raid by competitors. In the last year, US law firm focus on the City’s profitable work has grabbed the headlines. But so too has City firms’ apparent fightback, with reported confiscation […]

People think divorce harms children, when in fact it’s not the divorce itself, it’s the conflict that goes along with it. But if parents can put aside their differences and focus on the well-being of their children, they are engaging in the ultimate act of love, and providing a foundation of security, love, and emotional stability. I’m talking about cooperative co-parenting. It is one of the greatest gifts you can give your children, and it benefits not just them, but also you as a parent. Here’s why cooperative co-parenting is the ultimate act of love for your kids: – Children […]