Funding cuts are putting the judiciary’s status as a world leader under pressure. Canvassing the profession, we find deep concern over prospects for the English courts
Who wants to be a High Court judge? Fewer than ever it seems. This, unsurprisingly, is a major concern for the UK’s top litigators.
In a centrepiece debate, a group of heavyweight disputes veterans came together to discuss London’s much-lauded new finance court. Can it live up to expectations?
Even amid a packed programme at Legal Business‘s second annual Commercial Litigation Summit, the discussion on the newly-launched Financial List, the dedicated court backed by specialist judges and an innovative appeals track, was a highlight of the day.
Continue reading “The Commercial Litigation Summit 2016: Marked to market”
Sitting in the firm’s recently opened New Fetter Lane office, Matthew Field talks to Bird & Bird international head of intellectual property Morag Macdonald (pictured) as the firm targets London expansion.
With high-profile trust and estates disputes providing a rich diet to private client specialists for some time, City firms have recently made the push to get in on the act.
If the mass retreat of City firms from private client work in the 1980s and 1990s looked like folly when Mishcon de Reya, Forsters and others began to leverage their practices with commercial success during the recession, it looks like even more of a mistake today. With trusts and estates at the heart of some of the biggest global disputes currently, firms with significant commercial litigation practices have taken note.
Continue reading “Trusts and estates disputes – Back on board”
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has been ordered by London’s High Court to list documents it had inadvertently disclosed in the ongoing £3bn Tchenguiz dispute.
Continue reading “Tchenguiz dispute latest: court orders SFO to list documents in £3bn case”
A pre-trial review of the upcoming $1bn court battle between Goldman Sachs and the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) has seen the bank lose a key costs argument at London’s High Court.
David Stewart (pictured), who unexpectedly stepped down as Olswang chief executive at the end of 2014 following a clash with other partners, has taken up a post at freelance arbitrator hub JAMS International.
Continue reading “Former Olswang chief executive Stewart joins arbitrator hub JAMS”
In June this year, the Hong Kong Court of Appeal held that the English Court of Appeal decision in Three Rivers (No.5) does not represent Hong Kong law. This is, of course, the 2003 English Court of Appeal decision well-known for the challenges it presents companies who wish consultations with their legal advisers to benefit from the protection of legal advice privilege.
Continue reading “The Disputes Yearbook: Simmons’ Passmore on the flow on effects of Three Rivers”
The English court system has added to its stable of specialist courts a Financial List, to deal with major banking and other financial disputes.
The Court of Appeal has awarded a further £375k in damages against Withers while dismissing the firm’s appeal of the case brought by former client Wellesley Partners (WP).
