Civil Justice Systems – serie

This monograph addresses the phenomenon of mass harm and how it may be resolved through collective redress. It examines particularly how such redress may be achieved through mechanisms such as multi-party actions (MPAs). In order to do this, an analytical framework is created against which to evaluate various multi-party procedures. This is illustrated through the experience of a selection of common law jurisdictions in dealing with mass harm – namely that of England and Wales, Canada, Australia and the United States, as well as that of EU collective redress. It examines multi-party action laws benchmarked against the objectives identified in the analytical framework. The phenomenon of environmental mass harm in particular is explored as a case study, as it illustrates some of the difficulties that may arise in mass harm litigation. Also, this work explores where the best solutions for mass harm redress may lie in the future – perhaps in collective actions or through alternatives such as regulation and alternative dispute resolution or a combination of these. Finally, the experience of mass harm litigation in Ireland is examined, as currently this jurisdiction does not have an effective mechanism for dealing with mass harm.This title is included in Bloomsbury Professional's International Arbitration online service.

This book explains the concepts of Ethical Business Practice (EBP) and Ethical Business Regulation (EBR), a new paradigm in compliance and enforcement based on behavioural science and ethics. EBR provides the basis for an effective relationship between a business and its regulators, resulting in better outcomes for both. EBR is attracting extensive attention from regulators and businesses around the world. The UK Government’s 2017 Regulatory Futures Review draws on EBR as the foundation for its policy of ‘regulatory self-assurance’. EBR draws on findings from behavioural science, responsive regulation, safety and business and integrity management to create a practical and holistic approach. Examples include the open culture that is essential for civil aviation safety, the Primary Authority agreements between regulators and national businesses, and feedback mechanisms provided by market vigilance systems and sectoral consumer ombudsmen. This book provides an essential blueprint for sustainable business and effective future regulation.

This ground-breaking book takes a fresh look at potential non-litigation solutions to providing personal injury compensation. It is the first systematic comparative study of such a large number – over forty – of personal injury compensation schemes. It covers the drivers for their creation, the frameworks under which they operate, the criteria and thresholds used, the compensation offered, the claims process, statistics on throughput and costs, and analysis of financial costings. It also considers and compares the successes and failings of these schemes. Many different types of redress providers are studied. These include the comprehensive no-blame coverage offered by the New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation; the widely used Patient, Pharmaceutical, Motor Accident and Workers Compensation Insurance systems of the Nordic states; the far smaller issue-focused schemes like the UK Thalidomide and vCJD Trusts; vaccine damage schemes that exist in many countries; as well as motor vehicle schemes from the USA. Conclusions are drawn about the functions, essential requirements, architecture, scope, operation and performance of personal injury compensation systems. The relationships between such schemes, the courts and regulators are also discussed, and both calls and need for reforms are noted.Noting the wide calls for reform of NHS medical negligence litigation within the UK, and its replacement with a no blame approach, the authors’ findings outline options for future policy in this area. This major contribution builds on general shifts from courts to ADR, and from blame to no blame in regulation, and is a work that has the potential to have a major impact on the field of personal injury redress.With contributions by Raymond Byrne, Claire Bright, Shuna Mason, Magdalena Tulibacka, Matti Urho, Mary Walker and Herbert Woopen.

This book explores how concerns can be raised about the NHS, why raising concerns hasn’t always improved standards, and how a no-fault open culture approach could drive improvements.The book describes a wide range of mechanisms for raising concerns about the NHS, including complaints, the ombudsman, litigation, HSIB, and the major inquiries since 2000, across the various UK jurisdictions. The NHS approach is contextualised within the broader societal developments in dispute resolution, accountability, and regulation. The authors take a holistic view, and outline practical solutions for reforming how the NHS responds to problems. These should improve the situation for those raising concerns and for those working within the NHS, as well as providing cost savings. The no-fault approaches proposed in the book provide long-term sustainable solutions to systemic problems, which are particularly timely given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the NHS.The book will be of interest to academics, researchers, ADR practitioners, practising lawyers, and policy makers.

This book examines how regulatory and liability mechanisms have impacted upon product safety decisions in the pharmaceutical and medical devices sectors in Europe, the USA and beyond since the 1950s. Thirty-five case studies illustrate the interplay between the regulatory regimes and litigation. Observations from medical practice have been the overwhelming means of identifying post-marketing safety issues. Drug and device safety decisions have increasingly been taken by public regulators and companies within the framework of the comprehensive regulatory structure that has developed since the 1960s. In general, product liability cases have not identified or defined safety issues, and function merely as compensation mechanisms. This is unsurprising as the thresholds for these two systems differ considerably; regulatory action can be triggered by the possibility that a product might be harmful, whereas establishing liability in litigation requires proving that the product was actually harmful. As litigation normally post-dates regulatory implementation, the ‘private enforcement’ of public law has generally not occurred in these sectors. This has profound implications for the design of sectoral regulatory and liability regimes, including associated features such as extended liability law, class actions and contingency fees. This book forms a major contribution to the academic debate on the comparative utility of regulatory and liability systems, on public versus private enforcement, and on mechanisms of behaviour control.

This book reviews the techniques, mechanisms and architectures of the way disputes are processed in England and Wales. Adopting a comparative approach, it evaluates the current state of the main different types of dispute resolution systems, including business, consumer, personal injury, family, property, employment and claims against the state. It provides a holistic overview of the whole system and suggests both systemic and detailed reforms. Examining dispute resolution pathways from users’ perspectives, the book highlights options such as ombudsmen, regulators, tribunals and courts as well as mediation and other ADR and ODR approaches. It maps numerous sectoral developments to see if learning might be spread to other sectors. Several recurrent themes arise, including the diversification in the use of techniques; adoption of digital, online and artificial technology; cost and funding constraints; the emergence of new intermediaries; the need to focus accessibility arrangements for people and businesses that need help with their problems; and identifying effective ways for achieving behavioural change.This timely study analyses the shift from adversarial legalism to softer means of resolving social problems, and points to a major opportunity to devise an imaginative and holistic strategic vision for the jurisdiction.This title is included in Bloomsbury Professional's International Arbitration online service.

This book charts the transformative shifts in techniques that seek to deliver collective redress, especially for mass consumer claims in Europe. It shows how traditional approaches of class litigation (old technology) have been eclipsed by the new technology of regulatory redress techniques and consumer ombudsmen.It describes a series of these techniques, each illustrated by leading examples taken from a 2016 pan-EU research project. It then undertakes a comparative evaluation of each technique against key criteria, such as effective outcomes, speed, and cost. The book reveals major transformations in European legal systems, shows the overriding need to view legal systems from fresh viewpoints, and to devise a new integrated model.

This ground-breaking book addresses the challenge of regulatory delivery, defined as the way that regulatory agencies operate in practice to achieve the intended outcomes of regulation. Regulatory reform is moving beyond the design of regulation to address what good regulatory delivery looks like. The challenge in practice is to operate a regulatory regime that is both appropriate and effective. Questions of how regulations are received and applied by those whose behaviour they seek to control, and the way they are enforced, are vital in securing desired regulatory outcomes.This book, written by and for practitioners of regulatory delivery, explains the Regulatory Delivery Model, developed by Graham Russell and his team at the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The model sets out a framework to steer improvements to regulatory delivery, comprising three prerequisites for regulatory agencies to be able to operate effectively (Governance Frameworks, Accountability and Culture) and three practices for regulatory agencies to be able to deliver societal outcomes (Outcome Measurement, Risk-based Prioritisation and Intervention Choices). These elements are explored by an international group of experts in regulatory delivery reform, with case studies from around the world. Regulatory Delivery is the first product of members of the International Network for Delivery of Regulation.

This book offers a socio-legal exploration of localised consumer complaint processing and dispute resolution in the People’s Republic of China – now the second largest consumer market in the world – and the experiences of both ordinary and ‘professional’ consumers.Drawing on detailed analysis of an impressive body of empirical data, this book highlights local Chinese understandings and practice styles of ‘mediation’, and identifies in popular consciousness a continuing sense of reliance on the government for securing consumer rights in China. These are not only important features of consumer dispute processing in themselves, but also help to to explain why no ombudsman system has emerged.This innovative book looks at the nature of China’s distinctive dispute resolution and complaints system, issues within that system, and the experiences of consumers within it. The book illustrates the access to justice processes locally available to aggrieved consumers and provides a unique contribution to comparative consumer law studies in Asia and elsewhere.

This book undertakes unique case studies, including interviews with participants, as well as empirical analysis, of public and private enforcement of Australian securities laws addressing continuous disclosure.Enforcement of laws is crucial to effective regulation. Historically, enforcement was the province of a government regulator with significant discretion (public enforcement). However, more and more citizens are being expected to take action themselves (private enforcement). Consistent with regulatory pluralism, public and private enforcement exist in parallel, with the capacity to both help and hinder each other, and the achievement of the goals of enforcement in a range of areas of regulation.The rise of the shareholder class action in Australia, backed by litigation funding or lawyers, has given rise to enforcement overlapping with that of the government regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. The ramifications of overlapping enforcement are explained based on detailed analysis. The analysis is further bolstered by the regulator’s approach to enforcement changing from a compliance orientation to a “Why not litigate?” approach.The analysis and ramifications of the Australian case studies involve matters of regulatory theory and practice that apply across jurisdictions. The book will appeal to practitioners, regulators and academics interested in regulatory policy and enforcement, and the operation of regulators and class actions, including their interaction.

This book undertakes unique case studies, including interviews with participants, as well as empirical analysis, of public and private enforcement of Australian securities laws addressing continuous disclosure.Enforcement of laws is crucial to effective regulation. Historically, enforcement was the province of a government regulator with significant discretion (public enforcement). However, more and more citizens are being expected to take action themselves (private enforcement). Consistent with regulatory pluralism, public and private enforcement exist in parallel, with the capacity to both help and hinder each other, and the achievement of the goals of enforcement in a range of areas of regulation.The rise of the shareholder class action in Australia, backed by litigation funding or lawyers, has given rise to enforcement overlapping with that of the government regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. The ramifications of overlapping enforcement are explained based on detailed analysis. The analysis is further bolstered by the regulator’s approach to enforcement changing from a compliance orientation to a “Why not litigate?” approach.The analysis and ramifications of the Australian case studies involve matters of regulatory theory and practice that apply across jurisdictions. The book will appeal to practitioners, regulators and academics interested in regulatory policy and enforcement, and the operation of regulators and class actions, including their interaction.

This book explores how concerns can be raised about the NHS, why raising concerns hasn’t always improved standards, and how a no-fault open culture approach could drive improvements.The book describes a wide range of mechanisms for raising concerns about the NHS, including complaints, the ombudsman, litigation, HSIB, and the major inquiries since 2000, across the various UK jurisdictions. The NHS approach is contextualised within the broader societal developments in dispute resolution, accountability, and regulation. The authors take a holistic view, and outline practical solutions for reforming how the NHS responds to problems. These should improve the situation for those raising concerns and for those working within the NHS, as well as providing cost savings. The no-fault approaches proposed in the book provide long-term sustainable solutions to systemic problems, which are particularly timely given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the NHS.The book will be of interest to academics, researchers, ADR practitioners, practising lawyers, and policy makers.

How do we cooperate – in social, local, business, and state communities? This book proposes an Outcome-Based Cooperative Model, in which all stakeholders work together on the basis of trust and respect to achieve shared aims and outcomes. The Outcome-Based Cooperative Model is built up from an extensive analysis of behavioural and social psychology, genetic anthropology, research into behaviour and culture in societies, organisations, regulation, and enforcement. The starting point is acceptance that humanity is facing ever larger risks, which are now systemic and even existential. To overcome the challenges, humans need to cooperate more, rather than compete, alienate, or draw apart. Answering how we do that requires basing ourselves, our institutions, and systems on relationships that are built on trust. Trust is based on evidence that we can be trusted to behave well (ethically), built up over time. We should aim to agree common goals and outcomes, moderating those that conflict, produce evidence that we can be trusted, and examine our performance in achieving the right outcomes, rather than harmful ones. The implications are that we need to do more in rebasing our relationships in local groupings, business organisations, regulation, and dispute resolution. The book examines recent systems and developments in all these areas, and makes proposals of profound importance for reform. This is a new blueprint for liberty, solidarity, performance, and achievement.

How do we cooperate – in social, local, business, and state communities? This book proposes an Outcome-Based Cooperative Model, in which all stakeholders work together on the basis of trust and respect to achieve shared aims and outcomes. The Outcome-Based Cooperative Model is built up from an extensive analysis of behavioural and social psychology, genetic anthropology, research into behaviour and culture in societies, organisations, regulation, and enforcement. The starting point is acceptance that humanity is facing ever larger risks, which are now systemic and even existential. To overcome the challenges, humans need to cooperate more, rather than compete, alienate, or draw apart. Answering how we do that requires basing ourselves, our institutions, and systems on relationships that are built on trust. Trust is based on evidence that we can be trusted to behave well (ethically), built up over time. We should aim to agree common goals and outcomes, moderating those that conflict, produce evidence that we can be trusted, and examine our performance in achieving the right outcomes, rather than harmful ones. The implications are that we need to do more in rebasing our relationships in local groupings, business organisations, regulation, and dispute resolution. The book examines recent systems and developments in all these areas, and makes proposals of profound importance for reform. This is a new blueprint for liberty, solidarity, performance, and achievement.

This book addresses how the regulation of international commercial arbitrators takes place. International commercial arbitrators are a unique category of service providers because they are not organised as other professionals such as accountants, lawyers and doctors. The book provides an overview of how and why the regulation of international commercial arbitrators diverged from that of other professions. It also argues that, despite these differences, there is an effective regulatory environment overseeing the behaviour of international commercial arbitrators.The book unpicks the different elements that contribute to the creation and enforcement of professional norms in this field. It explains how the specific characteristics of the arbitral market create strong incentives for ethical norms to be created, even in the absence of the institutions that usually address these issues in other fields. It also describes how market and social forces drive arbitrators to comply with these norms in most circumstances. Finally, the book addresses the ways in which this regulatory system also explains some of the perceived weaknesses of arbitration, namely the rising costs of proceedings and the perceived unfairness of appointments.

This book addresses how the regulation of international commercial arbitrators takes place. International commercial arbitrators are a unique category of service providers because they are not organised as other professionals such as accountants, lawyers and doctors. The book provides an overview of how and why the regulation of international commercial arbitrators diverged from that of other professions. It also argues that, despite these differences, there is an effective regulatory environment overseeing the behaviour of international commercial arbitrators.The book unpicks the different elements that contribute to the creation and enforcement of professional norms in this field. It explains how the specific characteristics of the arbitral market create strong incentives for ethical norms to be created, even in the absence of the institutions that usually address these issues in other fields. It also describes how market and social forces drive arbitrators to comply with these norms in most circumstances. Finally, the book addresses the ways in which this regulatory system also explains some of the perceived weaknesses of arbitration, namely the rising costs of proceedings and the perceived unfairness of appointments.

This book explores the complex landscape of costs and funding of civil justice.Access to civil justice continues to be undermined by State retrenchment of legal aid budgets, increases in procedural costs, the complexity of court procedures, and severe delays in the dispensation of justice. This has resulted in a shift from public to private funding of civil litigation, and the emergence of new business models and forms of private justice. The book explores the dynamic landscape of legal costs and financing from 3 perspectives: regulatory frameworks in public and private funding; new trends and challenges in contemporary legal financing; and the transformative potential of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and online dispute resolution (ODR) procedures to streamline civil justice processes and expand access to justice.By addressing the intersectionality of legal, economic, political, market and social dynamics, the book helps readers gain a better understanding of the inherent complexity of costs, funding, and their implications for access to justice. This timely resource offers academics, policymakers, and practitioners valuable insights into the dynamics that shape the current state and future prospects of civil justice in Europe to help create sustainable pathways for improved access to justice.

This book explores the complex landscape of costs and funding of civil justice.Access to civil justice continues to be undermined by State retrenchment of legal aid budgets, increases in procedural costs, the complexity of court procedures, and severe delays in the dispensation of justice. This has resulted in a shift from public to private funding of civil litigation, and the emergence of new business models and forms of private justice. The book explores the dynamic landscape of legal costs and financing from 3 perspectives: regulatory frameworks in public and private funding; new trends and challenges in contemporary legal financing; and the transformative potential of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and online dispute resolution (ODR) procedures to streamline civil justice processes and expand access to justice.By addressing the intersectionality of legal, economic, political, market and social dynamics, the book helps readers gain a better understanding of the inherent complexity of costs, funding, and their implications for access to justice. This timely resource offers academics, policymakers, and practitioners valuable insights into the dynamics that shape the current state and future prospects of civil justice in Europe to help create sustainable pathways for improved access to justice.

This book contains the first major comparative study of litigation costs and methods of funding litigation in more than 30 jurisdictions. It was linked with the most comprehensive review of costs ever carried out in England and Wales by Lord Justice Jackson in 2009 and benefited from the assistance of leading practitioners around the globe. The study analyses the principles and rules that relate to paying courts, witnesses and lawyers, and the rules on cost shifting, if any. It also notes the major ways in which litigation can be funded, identifying the global trend on contraction of legal aid, the so far limited spread of contingency fees, and the growing new phenomenon of private third party litigation funding. The study also presents the results of nine case studies of typical claim types, so as to give a first overview comparison of which countries' legal systems are cheaper or more expensive.The book further contains national chapters with in depth analysis contributed by scholars in 18 jurisdictions (Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, England & Wales, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan and USA) and a further chapter on Latin American jurisdictions. 'Dr Hodges, Professor Vogenauer and Dr Tulibacka have conducted an excellent and thorough comparative study of litigation costs and funding across a wide range of jurisdictions ('the Oxford study'). The Oxford study is important, because it provides both context and background for any critical examination of our own costs and funding rules...I commend this book both for its breadth and detail and also for its percipient commentary. This work will make a valuable contribution to the debate which lies ahead about how the costs and funding rules of England and Wales should be reformed in order to promote access to justice.' From the Foreword by Lord Justice Jackson, Royal Courts of Justice, 16th July 2010

This is the first systematic comparative study into how consumer ADR systems (usually ombudsmen and médiateurs) work, the differing national architectures within which they operate and how they can be improved. It describes ADR schemes in Belgium, France, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom as well as emerging pan-EU dispute resolution schemes. Use of the techniques of mediation, conciliation and adjudication are noted. It also covers EU measures on consumer ADR, and 2011 proposals for legislation on ADR and ODR. Data on volumes, cost and duration of ADR schemes are compared, both between different systems and with courts. The authors' findings underpin EU and national developments, and outline options for future policy. Findings and proposals are included for the functions, scope, performance, essential requirements, architecture and operation of ADR systems. The relationships between ADR, courts and regulators are discussed, and need for reforms are noted. This is a ground-breaking work that will have a major impact on European legal systems.This title is included in Bloomsbury Professional's International Arbitration online service.