The solicitors felt that the instructions received from their client were to pursue points which neither they nor counsel thought were properly arguable. They withdrew from the case, and now appealed against a refusal of their costs on the basis that they having once accepted a retainer a solicitor could not withdraw. Held: The appeal … Continue reading Richard Buxton (Solicitors) v Mills-Owens and Another: CA 23 Feb 2010
The Authority appealed against the sentence imposed on the respondent by the Soicitoirs Discipinary Tribunal. He had been found to have taken undisclosed referral fees in personal injury litigation giving rise to conflicts of interest and to have been dishonest in part. He had been fined. The SRA said this was unduly lenient. Held: The … Continue reading Solicitors Regulation Authority v Dennison: Admn 22 Feb 2011
A solicitor had agreed with his wife to act for her in litigation on the understanding that he would only recover his profit costs if she succeeded.
Held: This agreement did not offend public policy. This type of agreement was distinguished . .
(Application for Leave) An agreement between solicitors and non-solicitors for the payment of a fee for introductions was illegal and unenforceable. Where however the non-solicitor provided services as part of the arrangement, a claim against the solicitors for a quantum meruit rather than in restitution would stand. Judges: Lord Justice Simon Brown, Lord Justice Mantell … Continue reading Mohammed v Alaga and Co (A Firm): CA 2 Nov 1998
A party to an agreement to share in solicitors’ fees contrary to professional rules was unable to enforce it in any way. Citations: Times 02-Apr-1998, Gazette 29-Apr-1998 Statutes: Solicitors Practice Rules 1990 (Law Society 1991) Jurisdiction: England and Wales Citing: Cited – Swain v The Law Society HL 1983 The Solicitors’ Practice Rules had the … Continue reading Mohammed v Alaga and Co (A Firm): ChD 2 Apr 1998
The plaintiff sought damages for breach of contract, for negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and deceit and conspiracy. It sought a world-wide injunction. Held: A freezing order (Mareva injunction) can be made in respect of assets which were outside the jurisdiction. To meet the court’s concerns about the risk of oppression to the defendant arising … Continue reading Derby and Co Ltd v Weldon: CA 2 Jan 1989
The deceased had first conveyed property to her solicitor. Leases back were then created in her favour, and then the freeholds were conveyed at her direction to her children and grandchildren. They were potentially exempt transfers. Held: (Millett LJ dissenting) The conveyance to the solicitor left the solicitor holding the property as bare trustee for … Continue reading Ingram and Palmer-Tomkinson (Executors of the Estate of Lady Jane Lindsay Morgan Ingram Deceased) v Commissioners of Inland Revenue: CA 28 Jul 1997
The claimant sought damages from its accountants, saying that had they been advised of the difficulties in their financial situation, they would have been able to avoid the loss of some 2.5 billion pounds, or to sell their assets at a time when their losses could be minimalised. They appealed a judgment limiting the claim … Continue reading Equitable Life Assurance Society v Ernst and Young: CA 25 Jul 2003
The Solicitors Practice Rules have the effect of law, and it is still improper to agree to pursue contentious proceedings on a contingency fee arrangement without specific statutory sanction, especially in criminal proceedings. An agreement for payment of legal fees on a contingency basis in a quasi-criminal matter (nuisance summons) remained unlawful, and a successful … Continue reading Hughes v Kingston Upon Hull City Council: QBD 9 Nov 1998
A main contractor who was building not on his own land, would only be free to claim damages from a sub-contractor for defects in the building where the actual owner of the land would not also have had a remedy. Here, the land owner was able to sue under a deed of covenant entered into … Continue reading Alfred Mcalpine Construction Limited v Panatown Limited: HL 17 Feb 2000
The solicitors had been paid funds on account of their fees in defending the client. By the time a freezing order was made under the 2002 Act in respect of his assets, the firm’s fees exceeded the amount held. The court was asked what was to happen to the funds. The solicitors had not yet … Continue reading Irwin Mitchell v Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office and Allad: CACD 30 Jul 2008
The defendant did not appear at the trial and now appealed the judgment. The claim form and court papers had been served by post at the wrong address. The question was whether a defendant wanting to set aside a judgment was required to persuade the court to exercise its discretion or whether he was entitled … Continue reading Nelson and Another v Clearsprings (Management) Ltd: CA 22 Sep 2006
Six appeals concerned a number of aspects of the new Conditional Fee Agreement. Held: It should be normal for a CFA, redacted as necessary, to be disclosed for costs proceedings where a success fee is claimed. If a party seeks to rely on the CFA, as a matter of fairness she should ordinarily be put … Continue reading Hollins v Russell etc: CA 22 May 2003
The claimant asserted involvement by the defendant bank in a fraud perpetrated against him. Jurisdiction had already been admitted for one trust , and now the claimant sought to add two further claims. Held: ‘None of the gateways to English jurisdiction in CPR PD 6B paragraph 3.1 expressly permit a putative claimant to pursue a … Continue reading Williams v Central Bank of Nigeria: QBD 24 Jan 2012
Litigation had followed an accident. The claimant, a passenger, sought and won damages for personal injuries. He had taken out legal expenses insurance, and at dispute was the recovery of the cost of that insurance. He had been unaware of having the insurance and had also paid out for after the event insurance. He sought … Continue reading Sarwar v Alam: CA 19 Sep 2001
NATS had tendered unsuccessfully for a contract to provide air traffic control services at Gatrwick airport, and challenged the award. GAL denied that the Regulations applied and now sought disapplication of the automatic suspension from the award of contracts pending resolution. Held: The automatic suspension under the Regulations should not be lifted. The issue of … Continue reading NATS (Services) Ltd v Gatwick Airport Ltd and Another: TCC 2 Oct 2014
The council had taken the applicant’s children into care alleging that the mother had harmed them. In the light of the subsequent cases casting doubt on such findings, the mother sought the return of her children. She applied now that the hearings be in public. Held: The applicant and her solicitors had already made significant … Continue reading Kent County Council v The Mother, The Father, B (By Her Children’s Guardian); Re B (A Child) (Disclosure): FD 19 Mar 2004
A solicitor had acted for both purchaser and lender in a purchase transaction. The purchaser later sought to recover from the defendant for a negligent valuation. The solicitor had however discussed the issue with the plaintiff before the purchase, and he disclosed his note of the attendance on the plaintiff to the defendant. The note … Continue reading Goddard v Nationwide Building Society: CA 1986
If solicitors for one party know that the party being served is out of country, then service at his last known address is irregular. The procedure which allows deemed service is to be followed strictly. Stuart-Smith LJ: ‘Whether it is entirely right to say that there is no discretion in the matter or whether, as … Continue reading Al-Tubaishi v Aung: CA 8 Jun 1994
Various defined issues in relation to a contingency fee agreement entered into by a firm of solicitors with their clients. In summary, the issues relate to the interpretation and application of the agreement and its enforceability, having regard to section 58 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990, Rule 8 of the Solicitors’ Practice … Continue reading Rees and Another v Gateley Wareing (A Firm) and Another: ChD 3 Dec 2013
The bank challenged measures taken by HM Treasury to restrict access to the United Kingdom’s financial markets by a major Iranian commercial bank, Bank Mellat, on the account of its alleged connection with Iran’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes. The bank sought to have the direction given under section 7 of the 2008 Act. … Continue reading Bank Mellat v Her Majesty’s Treasury (No 2): SC 19 Jun 2013
Interim Injunctions in Patents Cases The plaintiffs brought proceedings for infringement of their patent. The proceedings were defended. The plaintiffs obtained an interim injunction to prevent the defendants infringing their patent, but they now appealed its discharge by the Court of Appeal. Held: The questions which applied when looking for an interim injunction in patent … Continue reading American Cyanamid Co v Ethicon Ltd: HL 5 Feb 1975
A document had been disclosed by mistake. Held: The inspecting parties must have realised that the documents had been disclosed by mistake. Fairness on the opposite party is the basis for the courts to hold for a waiver of legal privilege. There is a crucial difference between a mere indication that one has sought or … Continue reading Derby and Co Ltd And Others v Weldon And Others (No 10): CA 1991
Exercise of Power to Strike Out The court has an inherent power to strike out an action for want of prosecution, and the House set down the conditions for its exercise. The power is discretionary and exercisable only where (a) there has been inordinate and inexcusable delay and (b) such delay has given rise to … Continue reading Birkett v James: HL 1977
The parties were embroiled in a company dispute with allegations of conduct prejudicial to minority shareholders. An application was now made for sanctions for a failure to comply with court directions. Held: Unless and until a higher Court has said that the approach in Robert is no longer to be followed, it was binding and … Continue reading Kaneria v Kaneria and Others: ChD 15 Apr 2014
The claimant said that it was due sums from the estate of the deceased solicitor. The executors said that the agreement was unlawful in that it had amounted to an agreement to share fees with an unauthorised body. Held: The agreement was unenforceaable and void. The SPR have the effect of subordinate legislation made pursuant … Continue reading Westlaw Services Ltd and Another v Boddy: CA 30 Jul 2010
The parties disputed whether the inclusion of length of service within a selection matrix for redundancy purposes would amount to unlawful age discrimination. The court was asked whether it was correct to make a declaratory judgment when the case had otherwise been effectively settled. Held: With considerable misgivings, the court agreed to hear the appeal. … Continue reading Rolls-Royce plc v Unite the Union: CA 14 May 2009
Same Sex Partner Entitled to tenancy Succession The protected tenant had died. His same-sex partner sought a statutory inheritance of the tenancy. Held: His appeal succeeded. The Fitzpatrick case referred to the position before the 1998 Act: ‘Discriminatory law undermines the rule of law because it is the antithesis of fairness. It brings the law … Continue reading Ghaidan v Godin-Mendoza: HL 21 Jun 2004
Walker v Wilshire still Good Law After successfully appealing, the defendant claimant argued for a substantial part of its costs, saying that the defendant had unreasonably refused ADR. To pursue this, it now sought disclosure of the details of the without prejudice negotiations between them. Held: No distinction is to be made between party-to-party negotiations … Continue reading Reed Executive Plc, Reed Solutions Plc v Reed Business Information Ltd, Reed Elsevier (Uk) Ltd, Totaljobs.Com Ltd: CA 14 Jul 2004
Conditions for new evidence on appeal At the trial, the wife of the appellant’s opponent said she had forgotten certain events. After the trial she began divorce proceedings, and informed the appellant that she now remembered. He sought either to appeal admitting fresh evidence, or for a retrial. Held: The Court of Appeal refused to … Continue reading Ladd v Marshall: CA 29 Nov 1954
The appellant had guaranteed his brother’s loan from the respondent, and the guarantee having been called in and unpaid, he had been made bankrupt. He now appealed saying that the guarantee debt, even though of a fixed amount could not form the basis of a statutory demand without action being taken on the debt first. … Continue reading McGuinness v Norwich and Peterborough Building Society: CA 9 Nov 2011
Limitations on HMRC discretion on investigation The Commissioners had been concerned at tax evasion of up to 1 million pounds a year by casual workers employed in Fleet Street. They agreed with the employers and unions to collect tax in the future, but that they would not pursue those who had evaded taxes in the … Continue reading Regina v Inland Revenue Commissioners, ex parte the National Federation of Self-Employed and Small Businesses Ltd: HL 9 Apr 1981
Account taken of circumstances wihout ambiguity The respondent gave advice on home income plans. The individual claimants had assigned their initial claims to the scheme, but later sought also to have their mortgages in favour of the respondent set aside. Held: Investors having once assigned their causes of action to the ICS, could not later … Continue reading Investors Compensation Scheme Ltd v West Bromwich Building Society: HL 19 Jun 1997
The court was asked as to the extent to which the ancient rule against champerty prevents a solicitor agreeing to indemnify his claimant client against any liability for costs which she may incur against the defendant in the litigation in which the solicitors are to act for her. Held: The defendant’s appeal failed. The Conditional … Continue reading Sibthorpe and Morris v London Borough of Southwark: CA 25 Jan 2011
No Presumption of House for both Parties When looking to the needs of parties in a divorce, there is no presumption that both parties are to be left able to purchase alternative homes. The order of sub-clauses in the Act implies nothing as to their relative importance. Courts should be reluctant to allow repeated appeals … Continue reading Piglowska v Piglowski: HL 24 Jun 1999
Guidance for Wasted Costs Orders Guidance was given on the circumstances required for the making of wasted costs orders against legal advisers. A judge invited to make an order arising out of an advocate’s conduct of court proceedings must make full allowance for the fact that an advocate has to make decisions quickly and under … Continue reading Ridehalgh v Horsefield; Allen v Unigate Dairies Ltd: CA 26 Jan 1994
The respondent had issued bonds but in 2001 had declared a moratorium on paying them. The appellant hedge fund later bought the bonds, heavily discounted. Judgment was obtained in New York, which the appellants now sought to enforce against assets in the UK. They argued that the terms of issue waived state immunity. Held: The … Continue reading NML Capital Ltd v Argentina: SC 6 Jul 2011
Clients sued their solicitors for negligence. The solicitors responded by claiming that, when acting as advocates, they had the same immunities granted to barristers. Held: The immunity from suit for negligence enjoyed by advocates acting in both criminal and civil proceedings is no longer appropriate or in the public interest and is removed: ‘The standard … Continue reading Arthur JS Hall and Co (A Firm) v Simons; Barratt v Woolf Seddon (A Firm); Harris v Schofield Roberts and Hill (A Firm): HL 20 Jul 2000
LRA Costs : Parties Without Representation – Litigants in person – entitlement to costs and expenses; Litigants in Person (Costs and Expenses) Act 1975, s 1(1), (2); Civil Procedure Rules: CPR 2.3(3), 48.6(1) – . .
The two prisoners, serving life sentences for murder, had had their appeals rejected. They continued to protest innocence, and sought to bring their campaigns to public attention through the press, having oral interviews with journalists without . .
1267 – 1278 – 1285 – 1297 – 1361 – 1449 – 1491 – 1533 – 1677 – 1688 – 1689 – 1700 – 1706 – 1710 – 1730 – 1737 – 1738 – 1751 – 1774 – 1792 – 1793 – 1804 – 1814 – 1819 – 1824 – 1828 – 1831 – 1832 … Continue reading Acts
Our law-index is a substantial selection from our database. Cases here are restricted in number by date and lack the additional facilities formerly available within lawindexpro. Please do enjoy this free version of the lawindex. Case law does not ‘belong’ to lawyers. Judgments are made up of words which can be read and understood (if … Continue reading law index
