New data published by Solomonic shows litigation activity across England and Wales continuing at record levels, with more than 6,800 High Court and Competition Appeal Tribunal claims issued in the first nine months of 2026, an 11% increase on the same period last year. Banking and finance disputes saw a particularly strong third quarter, while winding-up petitions reached an all-time high.
Against this backdrop, Mishcon de Reya has once again been recognised among the country's leading disputes firms. In Solomonic's latest rankings of claimant-side litigation activity, the firm remains in the top ten most active claimant law firms, recording 44 claims issued during the first three quarters of 2026, placing it seventh overall. The firm also ranks in the top ten most active firms across all claims, acting in 73 of all disputes issued in the same period, and in the top 15 most active defendant law firms.
The findings follow Mishcon de Reya's recent recognition as the firm appearing most frequently in Solomonic's list of the 15 most-tracked High Court cases of H1 2026, underlining both the volume and profile of the disputes handled by the firm's lawyers.
The latest report highlights several trends that align closely with Mishcon's broad disputes practice, including increased activity in banking and finance disputes, continued growth in insolvency-related litigation and sustained volumes across commercial, real estate and professional services claims. These trends reflect the increasingly complex risk environment facing businesses, institutions and individuals operating in the UK and internationally.
Hugo Plowman, Chair of Mishcon de Reya's Dispute Resolution department, commented:
"The latest Solomonic data paints a picture of a disputes market that remains exceptionally active. Businesses are having to compete in a more complicated economic, regulatory and geopolitical environment than at any point in recent years, and that inevitably gives rise to contentious issues.
It is encouraging to see Mishcon once again recognised among the busiest disputes firms in the market. More importantly, it reflects the breadth and depth of our disputes practice and the trust clients place in us to handle complex, high-value and business-critical matters across all major sectors. As litigation volumes continue to grow, our focus remains on delivering outstanding results and helping clients navigate increasingly challenging disputes."
Mishcon de Reya's Dispute Resolution practice comprises more than 350 disputes lawyers and advises corporates, financial institutions, investors, entrepreneurs, insolvency practitioners, governments and high-net-worth individuals across the full spectrum of contentious matters from offices in London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The full Solomonic report, Q3 2026 Litigation in Numbers, highlights that more than 2,300 claims were issued during Q3 alone, making it the busiest quarter recorded since before 2019, while litigation involving the banking and finance sector increased by 22% compared with the same quarter last year.