An Update on Dispute Resolution in England and Wales: Evolution of Revolution?

This Article provides an overview of dispute resolution in England and Wales, including recent reforms to the litigation system and mediation and arbitration. The Article will take a close look at the so-called Woolf Reforms, which came into force on April 26, 1999, and which have had considerable impact on the litigation landscape of England and Wales. In addition, the Article reviews the impact of the 1996 Arbitration Act and the 1998 Human Rights Act. The Human Rights Act brought the European Convention on Human Rights to the forefront of the practice of law in England and has been tipped to cause as much upheaval as the Woolf Reforms did last year.