A recent High Court decision serves as a reminder that there is no strict rule excluding evidence that is improperly obtained, and that in circumstances where the evidence is relevant, has probative value, and does not impact the fairness of the litigation, the courts are inclined to admit the evidence: Mustard v Flower [2019] EWHC 2623 … Read more
The Court of Appeal has overturned two High Court orders that a mining company’s proposed payments to fund litigation by related parties were not permitted under the company’s undertaking not to dispose of or deal with its funds “other than in the ordinary and proper course of its business”: Koza Ltd v Akcil & Ors … Read more
The Court of Appeal has held that an accountant member of a multi-disciplinary firm of solicitors was liable as an accessory for dishonestly assisting breaches of trust, overturning the High Court’s decision to the contrary: Group Seven Limited & Ors v Notable Services LLP & Ors [2019] EWCA Civ 614. The appeal turned on the question of whether … Read more
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal against the removal of a so-called Angel Bell exception to a post-judgment freezing order, with the effect that the defendant was prevented from continuing to make payments in the ordinary course of business: Michael Wilson & “Partners” Ltd v John Forster Emmott [2019] EWCA Civ 219. Whilst … Read more
In a recent decision, the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court’s refusal to allow the claimants to pursue claims in unlawful means conspiracy: Elite Property Holdings Ltd v Barclays Bank plc [2019] EWHC Civ 204. While this decision did not involve new law, it serves as a reminder of the difficulties of bringing a … Read more
The Supreme Court has resolved uncertainty as to the test that must be met when seeking to set aside a judgment on the grounds that it was obtained by fraud. Overturning the Court of Appeal’s decision, it confirmed that there is no need to demonstrate that the evidence of fraud could not have been obtained … Read more
The Court of Appeal has found that there was no breach of fiduciary duty where an introducing broker failed to inform its client investors of the amount of commission it received from the financial institution to which it had introduced them: Medsted Associates Ltd v Canaccord Genuity Wealth (International) Ltd [2019] EWCA Civ 83. This … Read more
The Court of Appeal has confirmed that, where a claimant has suffered loss in reliance on an agent’s fraud, the principal will be vicariously liable only if the fraudulent conduct was within the agent’s actual or ostensible authority: Winter v Hockley Mint Limited [2018] EWCA Civ 2480. The court rejected the test applied by the … Read more
In a recent decision, the High Court refused the defendant financial advisers and agents permission to call expert evidence of financial market practices in relation to an allegation that they had acted dishonestly: Carr v Formation Group Plc [2018] EWHC 3116. The court noted that the standard of honesty is an objective one, and it … Read more
