Northumbria
University, Newcastle, has hosted a prestigious launch event announcing the opening
of a Business and Property Court (B&PC) in Newcastle.
Offering
convenient access to experienced judges and expert legal services, the Court will be located initially at the
Law Courts on Newcastle’s Quayside. It will combine and co-ordinate the
specialist civil jurisdictions of the High Court and County Court to provide a
single resource for commercial and property-related litigation in the North
East. The Government established B&PCs last year to offer legal services to
the business community outside of London. Newcastle is one of only seven cities
to be allocated a Business and Property Court.
With its pioneering Law School, excellent
relationships with the legal professions and the judiciary and established
partnerships with regional businesses, Northumbria was seen as an ideal venue
for the launch. Northumbria’s Student Law Office has an international reputation
for clinic-based education where supervised student teams provide legal advice
and support to real clients, including businesses. Since 2008, the
award-winning Student Law Office has managed more than 5,500 enquiries,
represented over 2,300 clients and secured in excess of £1 million on their
behalf. Clinic-based learning has been extended further at Northumbria recently,
with students studying on an innovative Business Clinic course providing free
consultancy services to businesses and other organisations.
Northumbria also has a strong record of working
with businesses. It collaborates with partners from the public, private and
voluntary sectors in areas including research and development, innovation,
enterprise and entrepreneurship, leadership, and people management and skills.
Key speakers at the launch were Sir Geoffrey
Vos, Chancellor of the High Court, Mr Justice Barling, Vice-Chancellor of the
County Palatine of Lancaster, and His Honour Judge Philp Kramer, who will be
the main presiding judge in Newcastle.
Lucy Winskell OBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor
(Employability and Partnerships) at Northumbria, said: “We were delighted to
host this important event. Having a B&PC in Newcastle is hugely significant
for the region and has been warmly welcomed by the business community. Access to experienced judges and highly
specialised legal services without having to travel to London will support the
development and competitiveness of our businesses, and the wider North East economy.
At the same time, having such a valuable asset right on our doorstep will offer
additional learning and perhaps career opportunities to our students.”
The B&PCs have been created as a single
umbrella for specialist civil jurisdictions across England and Wales. As well
as Newcastle, they have been established in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds,
Bristol, Cardiff and Liverpool.
