London’s top courts are grappling with a wave of no-win, no-fee cases. Some of the highest value and most complex cases, led by some of the most established law firms in English legal history, are exploring the no win, no fee culture and handing lawyers billions in fees but crippling the already-creaking justice system.
These costly cases are a cash cow for law firms: the UK’s largest 50 litigation practices generated £6.1bn in revenues. As law firms are continuously finding loopholes in old cases and exploiting new mass action law suits.
But as a consequence they are backing up all the everyday cases as lawyers are stringing them out for a pay day.
Clyde & Co, Herbert Smith Freehills, and Eversheds Sutherland are amongst the biggest law firms driving the Americanisation towards a more litigious culture.
Americanisation towards a more litigious culture
Cases being heard this month include the largest-ever mass lawsuit, against mining group BHP, and a “mega trial” pitting global insurers against aircraft owners over the bill for hundreds of planes stranded in Russia.
No win, No-fee cases
New cases keep coming: lawsuits worth a combined total of at least £83bn have been filed in the High Court since the start of last year.
Americanisation towards a more litigious culture
Critics argue it demonstrates a creeping Americanisation towards a more litigious culture, which is a fancy way of saying no-win, no-fee cases. Something legal firms would have snared at 20 years ago as ambulance chasing lawyers.
