A Virtual Success ' Experiences With Online Hearings

• Published date: 17 June 2020
• Author: Marie McMorrow and Chris Robinson
• Law Firm: HGF Ltd

To assist with the continued operation of civil proceedings during the COVID-19 crisis, the courts have been allowing parties to conduct trials and hearings remotely. Given social distancing and the uncertainty of when courts and offices are due to reopen, remote hearings could represent a new normal for some while.

HGF Law LLP recently represented clients in a patent infringement appeal before the Court of Appeal and a hearing in trade mark infringement proceedings before the High Court and thought it useful to provide some first-hand insight into remote hearings. With excellent support from the Court clerks, the remote hearings worked well, and it will be interesting to see the extent to which courts will continue to allocate hearings to be heard remotely, post-lockdown.

Pre-hearing preparation

- As with a physical hearing you need to ensure that the Court is kept fully up to date and given all essential information. Providing lists of attendees (and emails for the hearing link), along with making sure any requirements like identifying the format (such as pdf) in which documents should be provided in are essential. As everyone gets to...