Disputes round-up: White & Case continues hiring drive with RBS litigation head as HSF partner appointed deputy High Court judge

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Disputes round-up: White & Case continues hiring drive with RBS litigation head as HSF partner appointed deputy High Court judge

White & Case is continuing its bid to add firepower to its London disputes bench with the hire of The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS)’s former head of litigation and investigations Laura Durrant as a partner.

Meanwhile, Swiss disputes firm LALIVE is opening an arbitration-focused office in London and Herbert Smith Freehills’ (HSF) litigation partner Adam Johnson QC has been appointed a deputy High Court judge. Continue reading “Disputes round-up: White & Case continues hiring drive with RBS litigation head as HSF partner appointed deputy High Court judge”

Disputes round-up: Vannin Capital hires Fountain Court’s Martenstyn as managing director as Stewarts makes litigation tech play

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In a further indication of the growing prominence of litigation funders, Vannin Capital has turned to Bar stalwart Paul Martenstyn for its new managing director as Burford Capital announces a robust 17% increase in income.

Elsewhere, Stewarts has struck a partnership with tech start-up Solomonic, while the Supreme Court has ‘with reluctance’ dismissed the appeal of a wife who wants to divorce her husband in the Owens v Owens case. Continue reading “Disputes round-up: Vannin Capital hires Fountain Court’s Martenstyn as managing director as Stewarts makes litigation tech play”

End of Sir Cliff’s BBC privacy battle ushers in new rules on reporting investigations

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End of Sir Cliff’s BBC privacy battle ushers in new rules on reporting investigations

Old-fashioned defamation disputes may rarely create significant precedent these days but the rapidly evolving area of privacy is a very different matter, a dynamic underlined this week in dramatic form in the conclusion of Sir Cliff Richard’s legal battle with the BBC.

The veteran celebrity’s victory in his long-running privacy case against the BBC has highlighted issues of potentially huge scope for the media and other publishers in reporting investigations against individuals. Continue reading “End of Sir Cliff’s BBC privacy battle ushers in new rules on reporting investigations”

Disputes round-up: Retailers beat Visa/Mastercard on fees as Stewarts launches financial crime unit

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Disputes round-up: Retailers beat Visa/Mastercard on fees as Stewarts launches financial crime unit

The UK’s largest disputes specialist, Stewarts, has helped secure a win in the high-profile Visa/Mastercard interchange fees case less than a week after launching a financial crime department.

On Wednesday (4 July), a host of British retailers represented by Stewarts, Mishcon de Reya and Morgan Lewis & Bockius  won a Court of Appeal ruling against the financial services giants. Continue reading “Disputes round-up: Retailers beat Visa/Mastercard on fees as Stewarts launches financial crime unit”

Tchenguiz swaps Stephenson Harwood for Debevoise after failed €2bn claim

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Tchenguiz swaps Stephenson Harwood for Debevoise after failed €2bn claim

Embattled property tycoon Robert Tchenguiz (pictured) has replaced long-time legal advisers Stephenson Harwood with Debevoise & Plimpton after his €2bn claim against an Abu Dhabi investment company was thrown out.

A Debevoise team led by dispute resolution partner Kevin Lloyd will take over future Tchenguiz mandates, including a key Commercial Court case later this year. Tchenquiz had only drafted in Stephenson Harwood in 2014 to replace Shearman & Sterling in his later-settled case against the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). Continue reading “Tchenguiz swaps Stephenson Harwood for Debevoise after failed €2bn claim”

Three new appointments to Supreme Court but still no commercial judges

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Three new appointments to Supreme Court but still no commercial judges

While the UK Supreme Court announced today (27 June) that Lady Justice Arden, Lord Justice Kitchin and Lord Justice Sales will be appointed later this year, a lack of commercial expertise at the nation’s highest appeal court has drawn criticism.

The trio’s elevation comes after former deputy president Lord Mance retired this month, with Lord Hughes and Lord Sumption set to retire in August and December respectively. Continue reading “Three new appointments to Supreme Court but still no commercial judges”

Employment partners rue ‘conservative’ Supreme Court judgment in highly-anticipated gig economy case

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Employment partners rue ‘conservative’ Supreme Court judgment in highly-anticipated gig economy case

A Supreme Court decision which was expected to have significant ramifications for the ‘gig economy’ has disappointed employment partners who hoped the ruling would move questions around workers’ rights further forward.

The Supreme Court today (13 June) unanimously ruled in favour of heating engineer Gary Smith in his claim against Pimlico Plumbers, establishing that he was a ‘worker’ and not self-employed. This meant he was entitled to certain employment rights such as holiday pay, although not wider rights given to full-time staff. Continue reading “Employment partners rue ‘conservative’ Supreme Court judgment in highly-anticipated gig economy case”

Slaughters’ high-profile move for ex-SFO chief hits watchdog’s review

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Slaughters’ high-profile move for ex-SFO chief hits watchdog’s review

Slaughter and May’s high stakes move on former Serious Fraud Office (SFO) director David Green QC is being held up by regulatory approvals, which could delay his hire by up to two years.

Slaughters is the frontrunner to secure the highly-coveted Green, who stepped down as SFO director in April. He has considerable expertise following his six-year stint at the SFO, raising ethical questions around how quickly he should be allowed to move into private practice. Continue reading “Slaughters’ high-profile move for ex-SFO chief hits watchdog’s review”

‘An impressive background’: high hopes for new SFO director but naming delay criticised

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‘An impressive background’: high hopes for new SFO director but naming delay criticised

The two-month delay in naming the new Serious Fraud Office (SFO) director has been labelled flabbergasting, embarrassing and unsettling by some white-collar partners but there is confidence in the appointment.

Former FBI deputy general counsel (GC) Lisa Osofsky was this week (4 June) named the SFO’s new chief, bringing to an end months of speculation after the prosecution agency said in April it had found a new director, while refusing to name the successful candidate. Continue reading “‘An impressive background’: high hopes for new SFO director but naming delay criticised”

Further uncertainty for SFO as agency appoints COO as caretaker chief

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Further uncertainty for SFO as agency appoints COO as caretaker chief

In a move unlikely to inspire, the perennially-embattled Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has appointed Mark Thompson, its chief operating officer (COO), as its new director on an interim basis.

Thompson, who will take up the post on 21 April, replaces outgoing director David Green QC, who has held the position since 2012. In an SFO press release, Thompson said: ‘The search for a new director has been successful, although the individual cannot take up the post immediately. In the meantime, it’s important that the SFO pursues its cases with vigour and discharges its legal and corporate obligations responsibly. My role will be to ensure we continue to do this, and to ensure a smooth transition when the new director arrives.’ Continue reading “Further uncertainty for SFO as agency appoints COO as caretaker chief”