The High Court (Chancery Appeals Division) has allowed a lender’s appeal of a District Judge’s decision to set aside statutory demands made against two guarantors, following a borrower’s default under a loan facility: Sibner Capital Ltd v Jarvis [2022] EWHC 3273 (Ch). This decision will be of interest to financial institutions seeking to exercise a … Read more

The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal in a case which provides important clarification around the scope and construction of contractual provisions obliging the parties to act in good faith: Re Compound Photonics Group Ltd; Faulkner v Vollin Holdings Ltd [2022] EWCA Civ 1371. Although set in a non-financial context, the decision will be of … Read more

The High Court has summarily determined that a bank’s default notice of an event of default to an energy company, for failure to pay monies due under a foreign exchange (FX) swap, was valid under the terms of the 2002 ISDA Master Agreement governing the transaction: Macquarie Bank Limited v Phelan Energy Group Limited [2022] … Read more

In the context of a trade finance dispute, the High Court has considered the contractual interpretation of an irrevocable letter of credit incorporating the commonly used code in the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits 600 (UCP 600), published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).  In particular, the court held that the issuer’s … Read more

The High Court has allowed a summary judgment application by an Italian bank seeking declarations to the effect that certain interest rate swaps entered into with an Italian municipal authority were valid, lawful and binding on the parties: Dexia Crediop SPA v Provincia Di Pesaro E Urbino [2022] EWHC 2410 (Comm). This is an interesting … Read more

The High Court has allowed an application for directions made by the administrators of an investment bank concerning the construction and effect of various standard form events of default provisions which were included in the 1992 and 2002 versions of the ISDA Master Agreements (multi-currency cross border versions) in relation to certain swaps entered into … Read more

The Court of Appeal has held, by a majority, that a shipowner was not entitled to rely on a force majeure clause in a shipping contract where its charterer’s parent company became subject to US sanctions: MUR Shipping BV v RTI Ltd [2022] EWCA Civ 1406. Although set in a non-financial context, the decision will be of … Read more

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP have published an article in Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law on interpreting International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) standardised rules in trade finance disputes. Banking practice in areas of trade finance such as demand guarantees and letters of credit is standardised by a collection of contractual rules published by the ICC. … Read more