Members of 3VB author practice note on Confidentiality Rings for Practical Law

Hodge Malek KC, Yash Bheeroo and Devon Airey have produced a new Practice Note on Confidentiality rings in English litigation, which provides detailed guidance on the principles and practical operation of confidentiality rings (also known as confidentiality clubs) in civil proceedings.

The note explains how courts and tribunals balance the fundamental principle of open justice against the need to protect genuinely confidential or commercially sensitive information and sets out the circumstances in which such arrangements will be considered necessary and proportionate.

The Practice Note covers the procedure for applying for confidentiality ring orders, the factors relevant to their scope and composition, and the different structures a ring may take, including multi-tier arrangements and highly restrictive “External Eyes Only” regimes. It also addresses practical issues arising in case management and trial preparation, including disclosure, trial bundles, witnesses and hearings involving confidential material.

The full note can be accessed here: Confidentiality rings in English litigation: principles and practice.

This document was published first by Practical Law.