header-logo header-logo

In the heat of battle...

10 November 2017 / Dominic Regan
Issue: 7769 / Categories: Features , Profession
printer mail-detail

Dominic Regan recounts tales of momentous show downs, fibbing & worse in & out of court

Trial represents the culmination of a dispute. Like a boxing match, two opponents enter the ring, each believing they will win. One is going to be disappointed. Worse still, each party will be confronted by a hostile opponent. To cap it all, a testy judge can let rip. Those considerations regularly provoke settlement, with particular emphasis on ADR. However, a steady flow of optimists fight on.

Prove it or lose it

Anything and everything can go wrong. Marathon Asset Management LLP v Seddon (2017) 2 Costs LR 255. The claimant had rejected a Pt 36 offer to settle pitched at £1.5m. The trial did not quite go to plan. While there was breach there was no evidence of consequential loss. A slightly lower award of £1 was made. Prove it or lose it as the old litigation adage goes.

Tales from the dock

Experts are regularly paid large sums of money for their litigation opinions. I felt

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Ceri Morgan, knowledge counsel at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, analyses the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd, which reshapes the law of fiduciary relationships and common law bribery
The boundaries of media access in family law are scrutinised by Nicholas Dobson in NLJ this week
Reflecting on personal experience, Professor Graham Zellick KC, Senior Master of the Bench and former Reader of the Middle Temple, questions the unchecked power of parliamentary privilege
Geoff Dover, managing director at Heirloom Fair Legal, sets out a blueprint for ethical litigation funding in the wake of high-profile law firm collapses
James Grice, head of innovation and AI at Lawfront, explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the legal sector
back-to-top-scroll