Commercial Litigation UK

  • March 17, 2025

    Shoemaker Urges Justices To Ax 'Absurd' TM Confusion Test

    A French footwear company urged the U.K. Supreme Court on Monday to upend a ruling that it infringed Umbro's famous "double diamond" trademark, arguing that the decision provides "no workable limit" on situations where consumers' brand confusion after the point of sale could be a problem.

  • March 17, 2025

    UK Court Affirms £300K Tax Bill For Ex-Soccer Star's TV Gig

    The First-tier Tribunal was correct to find that Sky UK Ltd. employed Phil Thompson, the former captain of the Liverpool Football Club, for television appearances through his intermediary company that is liable for nearly £300,000 ($390,000) in income tax and national insurance contributions, the Upper Tribunal said Monday. 

  • March 17, 2025

    Shell Accused Of Defaming Receptionist, Calling Him 'Cancer'

    An outsourced receptionist has accused Shell International Ltd. of owing him £50,000 ($64,876) in a defamation claim that says one of the oil giant's employees described him as a "cancer" to his bosses at G4S Security Solutions UK Ltd. and got him kicked off the work site.

  • March 17, 2025

    Ex-Manager Says Drax Was 'Toxic' Before Her Firing

    A former manager at Drax told a tribunal Monday that she was "not responsible" for the breakdown of her relationships with her colleagues during the trial of her claim against the energy company for allegedly firing her for whistleblowing over alleged sustainability failings.

  • March 17, 2025

    Actor Says Biogen Refused Pay Out For Drug Trial Injury

    A British actor who was left in a seven-month coma after a multiple sclerosis drug trial has sued Biogen, telling a London court that the pharmaceutical giant has refused to compensate him for long-term health damage.

  • March 17, 2025

    Telegraph Pays Damages To Ex-Afiniti CEO Over Libel Claims

    The Telegraph Media Group Ltd. apologized Monday to former Afiniti Ltd. boss Zia Chishti for running stories on allegations of grooming and sexual misconduct made against him to the U.S. Congress.

  • March 17, 2025

    Kuwait Pension Fund Says Director Ran $1B Bribery Scheme

    The former director of Kuwait's pensions authority orchestrated a two-decade-long "unlawful scheme of corrupt payments" in excess of $1 billion, lawyers for the authority said at the opening of a bribery trial in London on Monday.

  • March 17, 2025

    6 Bombshell Moments From Staley's Bid To Clear His Name

    Jes Staley has suffered a bruising week as he testified about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, culminating in an admission by the former banker that he had sex with a member of the disgraced financier's staff.

  • March 17, 2025

    Probate Firm Sues Ex-Staffer For 'Fraudster' Online Reviews

    A wills and probate firm has accused a former employee of posting defamatory online reviews labeling the firm's boss a "fraudster," telling a London court that the reviews have led clients to take their business elsewhere.

  • March 17, 2025

    Google Fights To Trim Antitrust Trial Over Shopping Service

    A shopping comparison website urged Britain's specialist competition tribunal on Monday to reject Google's bid to trim the scope of an upcoming antitrust trial over alleged unfair search results.

  • March 17, 2025

    Thames Water Beats Appeal Against £3B Rescue Plan

    A £3 billion ($3.9 billion) restructuring plan for Thames Water can go ahead after a London appeals court dismissed a challenge to the rescue deal on Monday, allowing the beleaguered water company to continue to avoid nationalization for the time being.

  • March 14, 2025

    Lighting Biz Loses Bid To Invalidate Rival's Handrail IP

    A lighting manufacturer lost its bid to avoid liability for patent infringement on Friday after a London judge refused to overturn a rival's intellectual property protections for lighted handrail technology.

  • March 14, 2025

    Wholesaler Denies Gray Market Imports In 'Clipper' IP fight

    A British smoking and vaping wholesaler has denied lighter manufacturer Flamagas' claim that it infringed its trademark for Clipper lighters by selling Clipper-branded products in the U.K. without its consent.

  • March 14, 2025

    Judge Splits $79M Judgment In Danish Tax Fraud Case

    A New York federal judge divided a nearly $79 million judgment against four investors and their pension plans after a jury in February found them liable for participating in a tax fraud scheme against the Danish government.  

  • March 14, 2025

    Investor Sues Fortunis Capital For £2M Bond Mismanagement

    A U.K. resident has sued an investment company for £2 million ($2.6 million) in a London court for allegedly failing to return his investment, but the company has denied allegations of wrongdoing, saying the investment may have been lost in a fraud.

  • March 14, 2025

    Fast Food Chain Can't Change TM To Resemble Rival's

    A London appeals court ruled Friday that a settlement resolving a copyright infringement dispute between two rival fast food chains could not allow for "reasonable modifications" to a trademark if that mark then became more similar to the rival's sign.

  • March 14, 2025

    Aon Can Sue Howden In Staff Poaching Case In England

    Aon UK Ltd can pursue its claim against Howden Group Holdings Ltd related to alleged staff poaching from Aon's Brazilian insurance business, after a ruling Friday that English courts have jurisdiction.

  • March 14, 2025

    Ex-Chelsea Director Scores FA Arbitration In Agent's Claim

    A former director of Chelsea football club persuaded a London court on Friday that a football agent's claim over his commission arising from the transfer of French international player Kurt Zouma must be dealt with by the Football Association.

  • March 14, 2025

    Legal Tech Biz Wrongly Fired Developer Over Web Issues

    A tech lead at a legal technology platform won his claim that his employer unjustifiably sacked him over issues with the launch of a new website, with an employment tribunal ruling that he followed all instructions the company gave him.

  • March 14, 2025

    Entrepreneur Loses Appeal Over £14M Barclays Asset Freeze

    A businessman has lost his bid to overturn a ruling that he breached a £13.7 million ($17.5 million) freezing order in a fraud case, with an appeals court ruling Friday that a judge's findings were not wrong.

  • March 14, 2025

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    The past week in London has seen J.P. Morgan face action by the founder of Viva Wallet in an ongoing feud over the company's takeover, retailer Next Group contest a claim by the home ware brand owned by private members' club Soho House, and the venue of the Wimbledon Championships sue a local group opposed to its plans to build new tennis courts on protected land in Wimbledon Park.

  • March 14, 2025

    Struck-Off Lawyer Can't Lift Ban After Misleading HMRC

    A former consultant solicitor who misled HM Revenue and Customs to get a refund on stamp duty land tax has failed to have his professional ban lifted as a London court ruled on Friday that the sanction was fair and justified.

  • March 13, 2025

    Lights Out For German Company's Bulb Design Claim

    The European Union's General Court blocked a German retailer's bid to dismiss a Taiwanese lighting company's design for an LED light bulb, with the judge calling the retailer's claims "vague or unsubstantiated."

  • March 13, 2025

    Tesco Seeks To Limit Lidl Damages Over Clubcard TM

    Tesco has asked a London judge to trim the amount of damages Lidl can seek to recover from the British supermarket giant for infringing the German discounter's trademarks through its loyalty pricing program, arguing that its use of the Clubcard logo had damaged its own brand too.

  • March 13, 2025

    Phoenix Group Sued By Ex-CEO Over Short Pay

    Phoenix Group Holdings PLC has been sued by the former chief executive officer of its subsidiary SunLife Ltd., who alleges that the insurer "arbitrarily reduced" his upper management compensation by almost £9 million ($11.6 million).

Expert Analysis

  • Decoding Arbitral Disputes: Fiscal Liability Vs. Int'l Investment

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    The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes' award in Amec Foster Wheeler USA v. Colombia, upholding the country's jurisdictional objections, exemplifies the growing tension between domestic regulatory measures and international investment protections, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn Square Chambers.

  • How UK Supreme Court May Assess Russia Sanctions Cases

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    In two recent U.K. Supreme Court cases challenging the U.K. Russia sanctions regime, the forthcoming judgments are likely to focus on proportionality and European Convention on Human Rights compatibility, and will undoubtedly influence how future challenges are shaped, says Leigh Crestohl at Zaiwalla.

  • How EU Digital Act Could Shape UK Technology Disputes

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    Noncompliance with the recently effective European Union Digital Operational Resilience Act will add layers of complexity to disputes and litigation for U.K.-based firms servicing EU entities, but international standards may serve as a bridge between jurisdictional and contractual misalignments, says Siobhan Forster at Alvarez & Marsal.

  • How EU's Anticoercion Tool May Counter New US Tariffs

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    The never-before-used anticoercion instrument could allow the European Union to respond to the imposition of U.S. tariffs, potentially effective March 12, and gives EU companies a voice in the process as it provides for consultation with economic operators at different steps throughout the procedure, say lawyers at Crowell & Moring.

  • How 2025 Act Refines The UK's Arbitral Framework

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    The U.K.'s Arbitration Act 2025 marks the regime's first significant reform since 1996 and aligns the nation's approach more closely with international principles, which means practitioners should take note of key procedural and strategic adjustments, including the explicit power of summary disposal, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn.

  • Leaked Docs In Man City Case Raise Admissibility Questions

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    The Premier League’s claims that Manchester City Football Club fell foul of financial fair play regulations are partly based on documents unlawfully obtained by an activist, which means the independent commission deciding the case will need to weigh whether the evidence is permissible against the principle of open justice, says Stuart Southall at KANGS Solicitors.

  • Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises

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    “No comment” is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.

  • EU Paper Urges Data Protection And Competition Law Unity

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    A recent European Data Protection Board position paper calls for closer cooperation among data protection and competition authorities, and provides valuable insight for businesses seeking to ensure compliance across an increasingly complex regulatory landscape, say lawyers at Paul Weiss.

  • Key Points From Gov't Consultation On Copyright And AI

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    The U.K. government’s current consultation on mitigating artificial intelligence input and output risks to copyright holders seeks to facilitate copyright holders in bringing actions against AI developers that make unauthorized use of protected works and mandate consistent labeling of AI-generated content, say lawyers at Deloitte.

  • Decoding Arbitral Disputes: Equal Rights Limit State Immunity

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    The Court of Appeal of England and Wales' recent determination that Spain’s London embassy could not dodge a former U.K.-based employee’s discrimination claims by invoking sovereign immunity reaffirms its position that employment and human rights should come before the privileges of foreign powers, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray’s Inn.

  • What To Expect As CAT Considers Mastercard Settlement

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    It is expected that the Competition Appeal Tribunal will closely scrutinize the proposed collective settlement in Merricks v. Mastercard, including the role of the case’s litigation funder, as the CAT's past approach to such cases shows it does not treat the process as a rubber stamp exercise, say lawyers at BCLP.

  • Managing Transatlantic Antitrust Investigations And Litigation

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    As transatlantic competition regulators cooperate more closely and European antitrust investigations increasingly spark follow-up civil suits in the U.S., companies must understand how to simultaneously juggle high-stakes multigovernment investigations and manage the risks of expensive new claims across jurisdictions, say lawyers at Paul Weiss.

  • What 2025 Holds For UK, EU Restructuring And Insolvency

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    European Union and U.K. restructuring developments in 2024, with a new era of director accountability, the use of cramdown tools and the emergence of aggressive liability management exercises, mean greater consideration of creditors' interests and earlier engagement in restructuring discussions can be expected this year, says Inga West at Ashurst.

  • How GCs Can Protect Cos. From Geopolitical Headwinds

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    Geopolitical uncertainty is perceived by corporate leaders as the biggest short-term threat to global business, but many of the potential crises are navigable if general counsel focus on what is being said about a company and what the company is doing, says Juliet Young at Schillings.

  • What BT Ruling Will Mean For UK Class Actions

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    The Competition Appeal Tribunal’s recent dismissal of a £1.3 billion mass consumer claim against BT, the first trial decision for a U.K. collective action, reminds claimants and funders of the high bar for establishing an abuse, and provides valuable insight into how pending mass consumer cases may be resolved, say lawyers at Ashurst.

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