A new report by consultancy Portland Communications has revealed that despite the war in Ukraine and global sanctions, a record number of Russians appeared in London's Commercial Courts
over the last year. The number of Russian litigants in Commercial Court judgments increased by 41% to 58 in the year to March 2023, making them the second highest group of litigants after British citizens.
This is due to London's status as a global centre for commercial dispute resolution and the lucrative revenue stream that well-heeled Russians provide for law firms. However, many law firms have cut ties with Russian clients after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which could impact the future number of Russian litigants.
On the other hand, the number of Ukrainian litigants sank to zero, possibly due to the war's impact on their ability to access courts. The report noted that 60% of litigants appearing in Commercial Courts last year were from overseas, with Russians followed by Americans, Indians, and Singaporeans.
The English courts are currently under increasing pressure from a vast backlog of cases, partly due to the pandemic, shortages of lawyers and judges, and an outdated court estate. Photo by Jim Linwood from London, Wikimedia commons.