Sharp increase in Commercial Court claims highlights growth in complex high-value disputes across key sectors
High Court quarterly claim volume reached a record high in the first quarter of 2026, signalling a strong start to the year for litigation in England and Wales.
Figures from Solomonic show that nearly 2,200 claims were issued in Q1, a 15% increase on the same period last year and the busiest opening quarter since before 2019.
The Commercial Court was a particular hotspot, with filings rising 44% quarter-on-quarter to 144 claims. This represented a 71% increase year-on-year, underlining a sharp rise in complex, high-value disputes.
At a sector level, professional services emerged as the most active area of litigation. Claims involving the sector rose 45% year-on-year to more than 300 cases, with over half involving defendants operating within professional advisory businesses.
Banking and finance, the public sector and real estate also remained key contributors to overall claim volume. Public sector disputes held steady at around 265 claims, while real estate litigation continued its upward trajectory. Construction and infrastructure activity, by contrast, remained more volatile.
Insolvency-related activity was another major driver of court workload. More than 4,100 actions were issued in the Insolvency and Companies List in Q1, making it the busiest start to a year since 2020. Winding-up petitions accounted for over half of these filings, rising 12% from the previous quarter.
More broadly, the rise in High Court quarterly claim volume appears to reflect both increasing volumes and the growing scale and complexity of disputes reaching the courts.
The figures underline London’s continued position as a leading centre for dispute resolution, particularly for high-value commercial litigation, despite competition from arbitration and other forums.
They also point to wider economic pressures, with financial strain on businesses translating into higher levels of insolvency-related claims and disputes involving professional advisers.
Taken together, the data suggests that 2026 is set to be another busy year for High Court litigation, with sustained activity across key sectors and continued growth at the higher-value end of the market.