The new Civil Procedure Rules introduced in April 1999 are arguably one of the most fundamental reforms of the UK's civil justice system. They are the result of Lord Woolf's wide-ranging inquiry into civil justice in England and Wales, which was highly critical of the time and expense involved in litigation. Legal costs were frequently becoming disproportionate to the sums in dispute. The new rules are primarily geared towards cases brought by individuals but could also make it more straight forward for businesses to resolve disputes with their clients and suppliers. This paper summarizes the key points of the new rules and comments on how they are affecting the civil engineering industry.