Court of Appeal delivers judgment in Energy Broker Commission Case
For some time, utilities have paid substantial commissions to brokers who procure energy supply contracts for them. These practices — which have been described in The Times as a “mis-selling scandal that may prove bigger than PPI” — have generated a substantial number of claims that are working their way through the courts against utilities and the brokers. The Court of Appeal today delivered judgment in Expert Tooling and Automation Limited v Engie Power Limited [2025] EWCA Civ 292 on a “half-secret” commission claim against a supplier that had paid commission to a broker that was later dissolved. ...
READ MORE
Richard Bottomley acts for successful respondent in Abbotsley Ltd v Pheasantland Ltd [2025] EWHC 654 (KB)
On 17 March 2025, in the latest round of the Abbotsley litigation, the High Court dismissed all three grounds of the appeal brought by Abbotsley. It had made an application under CPR 55.8, as well as for summary judgment and strike-out relating to a forfeiture claim for land which includes a number of wooden chalets in Cambridgeshire. All three limbs were dismissed at first instance. ...
READ MORE
Anna Lintner and Narinder Jhittay appointed to the CMA’s panel of Standing Counsel
The Competition and Markets Authority has appointed Anna Lintner and Narinder Jhittay as members of its panel of Standing Counsel. They join current Standing Counsel member Catherine Addy KC....
READ MORE
BVI High Court declines leave for derivative action
In Dekel v Clerkenwell Lifestyle Limited, the Commercial Court of the British Virgin Islands declined to grant leave for a minority shareholder to pursue substantial claims on behalf of a capital raising vehicle incorporated in the British Virgin Islands. ...
READ MORE
Georgia Terry features in The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases 2025
The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2025 recognises the most high-profile and high-value disputes on the horizon. Georgia Terry features in The Pan-NOx Emissions Group Litigation (Dieselgate)....
READ MORE
Commercial Court releases judgments granting third party disclosure in support of freezing injunctions
The Commercial Court has released for publication a series of judgments addressing the principles applicable to the grant of without notice third party disclosure orders, and related seal and gag orders. The first judgment of Mr Justice Bryan [here] followed the two-stage approach favoured by the courts of Hong Kong and the BVI, under which the Court first considers in private whether or not to grant a seal and gag order, before later considering (at a hearing on notice to the third party only, but under the protection of the seal and gag order) the substantive disclosure application. Bryan J’s second judgment [here] comprehensively analyses and applies the Court’s jurisdiction under the Norwich Pharmacal regime and the Court’s Section 37 Senior Courts Act 1981/inherent jurisdiction to grant third-party disclosure orders to enable a claimant effectively to police freezing injunctions....
READ MORE
Judgment in Future Sounds Asia v The 1975
The members of the rock band The 1975, represented by Edmund Cullen KC, have succeeded in their application to strike out the claim brought against them by the promoters of the Good Vibes 2023 festival in Malaysia. ...
READ MORE
Judgment in Almeqham v Belgrave Properties Ltd [2025]
Richard Morgan KC and Duncan McCombe recently appeared in Almeqham v Belgrave Properties Ltd [2025] EWHC 322 (Ch), resulting in an important judgment concerning the Cross Border Insolvency Regulations and service within the jurisdiction. ...
READ MORE
Judgment on recusal in Abbotsley Ltd v Pheasantland Ltd
Richard Bottomley, instructed by Robyn Adams of Debenhams Ottaway, successfully acted for Pheasantland Limited in resisting an application made by Abbotsley Limited for recusal of the trial judge. HHJ Walden-Smith, sitting as a High Court Judge, found after two days of oral argument that the application was totally without merit. The 18-day trial is listed for April....
READ MORE