A number of local practitioners gathered for the Liverpool Business and Property Court Forum (LBPCF) summer drinks at the Athenaeum in Liverpool on Thursday 18th July 2024. The event was hosted by His Honour Judge Cadwallader, the local specialist Business and Property Court judge (pictured above between His Honour Judge Hodge KC and local solicitor Mr Alum Ullah of Bond Turner and the Liverpool Law Society).
Practitioners from local and national firms attended including solicitors from Hill Dickinson, DWF, Escalate Law, Joanna Connolly Solicitors, Irwin Mitchell, CEL Solicitors, Ed Turner Ltd, Morecrofts, Ashfords, Weightmans, Bond Turner, and Bermans.
Members of the local Bar also attended with representatives from Exchange Chambers, Oriel Chambers, and Atlantic Chambers.
His Honour Judge Cadwallader welcomed LBPCF guests with an entertaining speech of welcome in which he focused on the increased business before the Liverpool Business and Property Court.
Judge Cadwallader was also joined by His Honour Judge Hodge KC, a fellow BPC judge.
In relation to the event and the Liverpool Business and Property Court the Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster, Mr Justice Fancourt, noted:
“Judge Cadwallader and I have been monitoring the figures for the issue of cases in the BPC in Liverpool and we are encouraged that there seems to have been a significant increase in cases issued. Whether that is a blip or a longer-term trend remains to be seen.
It would be good to see more cases from the North Wales, Cheshire, Merseyside and West Lancashire areas being issued here, rather than in Manchester. I have directed the District Judges in Manchester to look out for claims with stronger connections to Liverpool and transfer them to be dealt with in Liverpool. Although Manchester is a much bigger BPC centre, you have excellent local judges here in Liverpool, whose resources are supplemented as required by some of the Manchester judges, by me, and by other High Court Judges to deal with cases that are very substantial or complex and deserve to be tried by a HCJ.
I feel that it is important for the civic pride of Liverpool and the local economy that all local cases, however complex, are dealt with here in Liverpool, if they possibly can be.
I would like to express my appreciation for the hard work done by Judge Cadwallader, District Judges Deane, Johson and Lampkin, as well as District Judge Baldwin supporting the TCC, and all visiting judges and deputy judges, and the excellent staff in the court office, principally Steve and Alex, who are now led by Alison Blunsden, to strive for and maintain the highest standards of administration and judging.”
We would like to thank our sponsors for the event – the University of Liverpool, Atlantic Chambers, Exchange Chambers and Oriel Chambers. Details of the next event, in October can be seen on our news and events page.
