The Commercial Court User Group was established in 1967, when Donaldson J was Judge In Charge Of The Commercial Court (though the Group’s name has changed subtly from time to time since then). As Donaldson explained in his Practice Statement of 6th November 1967 [1967] 1 WLR 1545, the thinking behind the initiative was that the Commercial Court’s ability to amend and update its procedures to meet the changing needs of commercial litigants depends “upon a steady flow of information and constructive suggestions between the Court and those who appear there either as litigants or as their professional advisers”. The User Group serves as a forum for discussion of the Court’s performance and procedures, and contributes to the evolution of the Commercial Court Guide and to the development and refinement of the Court’s practices and procedures. The Group’s members include members of the Commercial Court Bench and support staff, and representatives of the commercial bar, commercial solicitors, the arbitration world, and trade bodies.

The Group typically meets twice a year.