Penningtons Manches Cooper contributes to Legal 500’s Class Actions Comparative Guide for 2026

The group actions team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has provided an updated chapter covering England and Wales for the 2026 edition of Legal 500’s Class Actions Comparative Guide.

Drawing on in-depth knowledge and practical expertise, specialists within the team – partners Michael Brown and David O’Brien, senior associates Colin Hayes and Anna-Brooks Gallerani, and senior knowledge lawyer Harriet Campbell – have offered up-to-date legal insights and commentary on the group actions landscape in England and Wales.

New for the 2026 edition of this guide is a more in-depth focus on funding in class actions, as well as further insight into mandatory alternative dispute resolution.

The chapter covers a wide range of topics including:

• the history of class actions and collective redress in England and Wales;
• the class action and collective redress framework;
• the different procedural options for bringing class actions;
• the mandatory requirements for starting a group claim;
• the topics most frequently brought as a group claim;
• the remedies available;
• the availability of third party funding;
• trends in collective redress and proposals for reform.

The Class Actions Comparative Guide is composed of 24 individual chapters, each focused on a different jurisdiction, providing analysis of the current issues affecting class actions.

Every chapter answers 34 standardised questions, allowing readers to gain a comparative understanding of how class actions function across the globe. The England and Wales chapter is available to read here. To access the full Legal 500 guide, click here.

The group actions team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has a recognised track record in resolving high value and complex claims. Recent successes include a ground-breaking decision in the Court of Appeal which confirmed that multiple claimants can use a single claim form, supporting cost-effective collective redress.