header-logo header-logo

Know your limits

27 November 2014 / Simon Duncan
Categories: Features , Banking , Commercial , Litigation trends
printer mail-detail

In the first of a series of articles on banking litigation, Simon Duncan discusses how limitation can be used to counter swaps mis-selling claims

Many claimants are seeking damages for having been “mis-sold” an interest rate hedging product. However, limitation, if raised, can form an absolute defence to such claims. 

In Kays Hotels Ltd v Barclays Bank Plc [2014] EWHC 1927 (Comm) the claimant was faced with this difficulty. The claimant had entered into an interest hedging product with a “collar” in December 2005. The claimant considered that this product had been mis-sold, more particularly that the bank was in breach of contract, breach of statutory duty and in breach of a common law duty of care (the “negligence claim”) having “mis-sold” the product.

Facts

The proceedings were issued on 8 November 2012. The bank’s position from the outset was that the claim was time-barred. The bank applied to have the claim struck out or otherwise summarily dismissed. The claimant accepted that the breach of contract and the breach of

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