Latest by Geraldine Elliott
Spotlight on private wealth - September 2020
Our quarterly update is designed to keep you up to speed with developments in the private wealth world.
Read moreThe commission omission? English High Court balances text and context in contractual interpretation
English law's flexible, rational, yet stable approach to contractual interpretation has been demonstrated again in Clark Street Associates v Norsk Titanium(1), a decision concerning commission payments.
Read moreSpotlight on private wealth - April 2020
Our quarterly update is designed to keep you up to speed with developments in the private wealth world. In this edition we explore sham trusts, heritage property and removing trustees. We also keep pace with the latest developments in the art sector. If you have any feedback on this update or would like to know more about the issues covered, or anything else, get in touch.
Read moreCOVID-19 - The official guidance on remote hearings; early engagement is key to success
COVID-19. The courts are trying to conduct "business as usual" as much as possible in this challenging climate. The latest official guidance, published on Friday, covers remote hearings in all Civil Courts in England & Wales; it relates to all types of hearings – applications, trials and appeals.
Read moreCOVID-19: Impact on court hearings and successful virtual mediations
As anticipated, the Courts are now moving to a (mainly) remote working basis.
Read moreBeware: English jurisdiction clauses do not mean choice of English law
Where parties have agreed in a contract that the English courts will have jurisdiction in the event of a dispute, it does not automatically follow that English law will be the governing law. A party recently found this out, to its cost, when a different governing law clause meant an expired limitation period. This case demonstrates that those entering into contractual agreements should carefully consider a choice of law clause that specifically designates the laws of a country that suits them. GDE LLC v Anglia Autoflow Limited.
Read moreFull and frank disclosure means more than just putting relevant matters in evidence – a new year warning in UKIP v Braine & Others
New year, new reminder of the obligation to make full and frank disclosure in without notice applications, this time in the context of a falling out within the UKIP party. The obligation can only be satisfied by drawing the court's attention to legal or factual matters which could undermine the applicant's own application; it is not enough to simply put relevant matters in evidence before the court (UKIP v Braine & Others). Injunction, confidential, publication and non-disclosure.
Read moreGuaranteed to fail? Oral funding arrangements may be enforceable
Funding arrangements should be in writing, or at least impose a primary obligation on the funder to pay. So said the Court of Appeal in exploring whether an oral arrangement to fund a litigant was an unenforceable guarantee or an enforceable agreement to pay in any event (Deepak Abbhi -and- Richard John Slade (t/a Richard Slade and Company)
Read moreCourt orders mediation
The High Court has upheld a tiered dispute resolution clause in accordance with established principles of contractual interpretation. The court ordered a stay of proceedings for mediation, and in support of the mediation also ordered pleadings to be served in advance in order to optimise the prospects of a settlement.
Read moreNotice givers take care – ignore the contract at your peril
The Court of Appeal has confirmed in Stobart Group Ltd & Anor v William Stobart & Anor [1] that an objective test will be applied when assessing whether a unilateral contractual notice has been validly given. This decision also provides a cautionary reminder of the consequences of a party's failure to comply strictly with contractual notice provisions. [1] [2019] EWCA Civ 1376
Read moreAn innocent party is entitled to damages, even though performance of the contract is impossible
The Court of Appeal considered the proper interpretation of exceptions or force majeure clauses and provided guidance on the correct application of the compensatory principle of damages in Classic Maritime v Limbungan. Classic Maritime Inc v Limbungan Makmur SDN BHD & Anor [2019] EWCA Civ 1102
Read moreMake the most of a mediation - 10 Top Tips
Preparation for a mediation is key- you get out what you put in. Here are our top 10 tips for making the most out of the mediation process to successfully settle your dispute.
Read moreNovel approach to measuring damages resulting from a breach of warranty
The accepted approach of diminution in the value of the target company has been unsuccessfully challenged in Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited v ING Bank NV ([2019] EWHC 676 (Comm)).
Read moreNo exceptions to exclusionary rule: Court of Appeal confirms established principle
While evidence of pre-contractual negotiations can be adduced to demonstrate how a transaction came about or what its commercial aims were, it cannot be relied on to aid the interpretation of the contractual provisions themselves. Merthyr (South Wales) Ltd v Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council ) [2019] EWCA Civ 526.
Read moreEnforceable oral contracts – Supreme Court looks to conduct and context
To avoid expensive litigation, contracting parties should ensure that all essential terms are expressly agreed within a legally binding contract. Where some essential terms are missing, but the parties clearly intend to be bound by and act on their agreement, the court will be keen to find an enforceable agreement. Wells v Devan 2019, UKSC 4.
Read moreIs a good arguable case good enough? The Court of Appeal considers the test for establishing jurisdiction
The test for deciding whether a claimant has a good arguable case is relative following the Court of Appeal's decision in Kaefar v AMS Drilling and others.
Read moreHigh Court warns directors to get match fit for new reporting regulations
It is understandable that directors might be reluctant to seek legal advice – be it due to concern about time or cost or a potential conflict of interest if seeking advice internally. However, as a recent case demonstrates, this is a small price to pay to avoid the time and financial cost of a claim, especially when a company's subsequent precarious financial position shines a light on an officer's behaviour and competence.
Read moreFootball club's entire agreement clause performs impressive save against negligent misrepresentation claim
A recent case(1) serves as a lesson that context is key to a watertight entire agreement clause.
Read moreThe perils of using disclosed documents for a collateral purpose
In Grosvenor Chemicals Ltd v UPL Europe Ltd disclosed documents were used by the UPL for a collateral purpose in breach of the Civil Procedure Rules.
Read moreWhen will pleading "special circumstances" permit collateral use?
Having taken a strict approach when considering what constituted "collateral use" in Tchenguiz v Grant Thornton UK LLP, the Commercial Court has moved quickly to clarify the test for "special circumstances" in applications for permission to use previously disclosed documents in The Libyan Investment Authority v Société Générale SA and others.
Read moreBeware of the risks when notifying warranty claims
In Teoco UK Limited v Aircom Jersey 4 Limited, Aircom Global Operations Limited(1) the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court's decision to strike out certain breach of warranty claims on the basis that the buyer had given the seller inadequate notice of those claims. The buyer's attempt to keep its options open by drafting its notices widely proved fatal to its claims, as it failed to identify the specific warranties to which its claims related as required by the share purchase agreement.
Read moreAnother bad bargain upheld: Wood v Sureterm Direct Ltd [2017] UKSC 24
The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal in Wood v Sureterm Direct Ltd. The Court upheld the Court of Appeal's decision on the meaning of an indemnity clause, and agreed with its application of established contractual interpretation doctrine. The decision confirms the established judicial approach to contractual interpretation, namely the focus on the words of a given clause.
Read moreCourt of Appeal provides a timely reminder of the principles relating to clear and unambiguous contractual negotiations
In Global Asset Capital, Inc and another v Aabar Block SARL and others the Court of Appeal found that the High Court had erred in its finding that in assessing whether a contract had been concluded, it need not take account of inconsistent subsequent communications between the parties following the arguable conclusion of a contract during a telephone call that had followed a "subject to contract" offer letter.
Read moreEssar v Norscot: the landmark decision third party funding has been waiting for?
The Commercial Court rejected an application to set aside an arbitral award entitling the respondent to its costs of third party litigation funding on the ground of serious irregularity. It also held that the Arbitration Act 1996 power to award "legal and other costs" included the costs of litigation funding.
Read morePension Deed rectified by Summary Judgment without a hearing
The High Court has recently granted summary judgment for rectification of a trust deed without a hearing. The judge did this "in such plain circumstances" where the evidence demonstrated that there was "no real prospect of a realistic challenge" to the position that the final version of the deed should have been executed, not an earlier draft.
Read moreCaveat Emptor: Buyer's inadequate notice precludes £3.5m warranty claim
In Teoco v Aircom (unreported), the High Court has held that a buyer gave inadequate notice of certain breach of warranty claims, thereby preventing it from pursuing those claims (worth c. £3.5m).
Read moreTime lost may never be found again
The decision in Medhi Khosravi v British American Tobacco plc [2016] EWHC 123 (QB) provides a useful reminder that it can be a risky strategy to seek extensions of time for service of a claim which has already been issued. Such extensions should not be granted lightly, and might be set aside at a later date.
Read moreDelay not a bar to obtaining freezing injunction
The High Court has granted three insolvent Cayman companies (each in liquidation) a worldwide freezing order in support of proceedings against Mr Terrill, an individual who operated behind the companies' respective corporate directors as their sole director and shareholder.
Read moreRepudiatory breach implicitly excluded in multi-party LLP agreements
In the recent decision of Flanagan v Liontrust Investment Partners LLP and others[1] the High Court held that the doctrine of repudiatory breach is excluded in multi-party limited liability partnership agreements ...
Read moreCourt confirms its wide discretionary power to extend time in consent orders
In Safin (Fursecroft) Limited v The Estate of Dr Said Ahmed Said Badrig (Deceased)[1], the Court of Appeal considered the principles that apply to an application for extension of time for compliance with obligations set out in a consent order.
Read moreElectronic disclosure – the perils of ignoring disclosure requirements
In Smailes and another v McNally and another[i] the High Court refused the claimant's application for relief from sanctions, finding the claimant's failure in respect of its disclosure obligations under the relevant provisions of the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR 31) amounted to a significant and serious breach of an "unless order".
Read moreAppeal court considers constructive knowledge in limitation period extension claim
The Court of Appeal* has recently held that an individual investor was too late to bring a claim in negligence and could not take advantage of the provisions of section 14A Limitation Act 1980 as she had constructive knowledge of relevant facts ascertainable during the primary limitation period.
Read moreContractual notice of warranty claim
In The Hut Group Limited v Nobagar-Cookson[2], the High Court considered what was required to comply with a provision in a share purchase agreement requiring notice to be given of a breach of warranty claim.
Read moreHigh Court considers iniquity exception for disclosure of privileged documents
In the case of London Borough of Brent v Kane, the court considered an application for the disclosure of legal advice that was alleged to have been given for an iniquitous purpose such that the benefit of any privilege that might otherwise have attached to the document was lost.
Read moreInjunctions: Hearsay evidence and dissipation risk considered
The case of JSC Bank & anor v Sergei Pugachev[1] serves as a useful reminder of the need to take care with the use of hearsay evidence and the standard and evidence required of the dissipation of assets.
Read moreInjunctions - when will the court order fortification of a cross-undertaking in damages?
The Court of Appeal endorsed for the first time the accepted criteria that must be satisfied before the court can order an application for fortification of a cross-undertaking in damages in EVP v Malabu Oil.[1]
Read moreLate but not too late: new claims and time bars
The High Court has recently considered the extent to which pleadings can be amended to introduce new claims out of time in the case of Nolan & others v Tui UK Limited.
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