The High Court has once again employed its authority to issue a Group Litigation Order (GLO) – a seemingly rare occurrence in 2023, with this being only the second instance. The GLO was issued in the class action proceedings of Tongue & Ors v Bayer Public Ltd Company & Ors [2023] EWHC 1792 (KB). The GLO stands as an important tool for the collective case management of claims in situations where multiple parties are affected by the same issue.
The potential development of a new procedural approach termed “GLO Lite” is also underway. While further detail on this mechanism is currently sparse, its naming suggests it could potentially provide a streamlined, simplified alternative to existing GLO methods, with the aim of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of managing mass claims.
The exact outcome of the developments currently ongoing surrounding GLOs and the potential “GLO Lite” system are as of yet unclear, but legal professionals should keep a close watch on how these changes might impact the landscape of group litigation.
For a more comprehensive explanation on the recent use of Group Litigation Orders and potential changes on the horizon, you can visit Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner’s analysis here.