On 8 September 2025, the Law Society released the third edition of its International Data Insights Report, comparing the performance of dispute resolution centres in England and Wales with courts and arbitral institutions worldwide.
Drawing on the Portland Commercial Courts Report 2025 and the London Commercial Court (“<span class="news-text_medium">LCC</span>”) Annual Report 2023–2024, the report confirms that the LCC remains the “leading international centre for the resolution of complex commercial litigation.” Between October 2023 and September 2024, the LCC issued 196 written judgments, significantly more than the New York Commercial Division (88) and the Dubai International Finance Centre (“<span class="news-text_medium">DIFC</span>”) Civil and Commercial Division (82). Efficiency was also highlighted, with more than half of all contested trials across the LCC jurisdictions (32 out of 59) completed within four working days.
The report also notes the establishment of specialist international commercial courts in jurisdictions including the Netherlands, France and Germany, many of which conduct hearings in English.
On arbitration, the report highlights the ongoing global preference for English law. In 2024, English law was chosen in 78% of LCIA cases (318 in total), was the most frequently selected law in new ICC cases (15%) and ranked second in cases before the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (“<span class="news-text_medium">SIAC</span>”), Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (“<span class="news-text_medium">HKIAC</span>”) and the SCC (“<span class="news-text_medium">Stockholm Chamber of Commerce</span>”). London’s position as the global centre for maritime arbitration also remains unmatched, with the London Maritime Arbitrators Association (“<span class="news-text_medium">LMAA</span>”) registering 1,733 new cases in 2024.
The report further underlines London’s enduring popularity as the world’s most preferred seat of arbitration, a position reaffirmed by the 2025 Queen Mary University of London/White & Case International Arbitration Survey.
You can reach the full report <a href="https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/research/international-data-insights-report-2025" target="_blank" class="news-text_link">here</a>.
