Goodbye, Chancery Division: A Turning Point for the Legal System

One of the oldest pillars of the High Court is preparing to enter a new era as the Chancery Division is set to be replaced by a newly formed Business and Property Division under sweeping judicial reforms supported by the government.

The changes will consolidate all Business and Property Courts currently divided between the King’s Bench and Chancery Divisions into a single division. The move is designed to simplify the court structure while bringing together major areas of commercial litigation, including insolvency, intellectual property, construction, technology disputes, and other high-value business cases.

Under the reforms, the Business and Property Division will become one of the High Court’s three main divisions alongside the King’s Bench Division and the Family Division. The role of Chancellor of the High Court will also be rebranded, with the officeholder taking on the title of President of the Business and Property Division.

Judicial leaders say the restructuring aims to make the court system easier for businesses, legal professionals, and court users to navigate. It is also intended to reinforce the international reputation of England and Wales’ Business and Property Courts, which already oversee a significant number of disputes involving overseas parties.

Subject to approval through an Order in Council, the new division is expected to launch at the beginning of the next legal year, marking one of the most significant structural changes to the High Court in recent years.