Will the Covid-19 Crisis Catalyse the Dispute Resolution Movement and Improve Access to Justice?

Abstract

The Covid-19 crisis hit many sectors hard. One of the problems legal professionals faced at the height of the lockdowns during the spring was the closure of courts for all but urgent matters. Courts closed on 27 January in Hong Kong until 3 May and between 13 March and 11 May in Switzerland. Many cases remained unresolved until new court dates were set. The wait to relist court dates added further delays as courts lacked the capacity to deal with their colossal backlog. Compounded with the inherent problem of stretched court resources across many jurisdictions, this new crisis accentuated an age-old problem we face in accessing justice.