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21 October 2010 / Ed Crosse , Dan Hayward
Issue: 7438 / Categories: Features , Profession
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Litigation trends

A study in bear taming? Ed Crosse & Dan Hayward discuss recent trends in case management

The desire of wealthy Russian parties to litigate before the English courts shows no sign of abating. With a number of Russian “super cases” in the High Court involving the very richest members of Russia’s business elite, the likes of Boris Berezovsky, Roman Abramovich and Oleg Deripaska can expect to keep many English lawyers busy as they thrash out bitter and high value disputes in London.

A window on the East

A string of Russian cases recently brought in the High Court has revealed much about power and wealth in modern Russia. These cases paint a picture of lavish lifestyles, vast and complex global business empires and intriguing commercial relationships. Three of the most high profile are Cherney v Deripaska, OJSC Yugraneft v Abramovich & Others and Berezovsky v Abramovich. In each case the core issues have still yet to be tried. Instead, the proceedings have been dominated by lengthy hearings on preliminary issues, fuelled by the

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Bellevue Law—Lianne Craig

Bellevue Law—Lianne Craig

Workplace law firm expands commercial disputes team with senior consultant hire

EIP—Rob Barker

EIP—Rob Barker

IP firm promotes patent attorney to partner

Muckle LLP—Ryan Butler

Muckle LLP—Ryan Butler

Banking and restructuring team bolstered by insolvency specialist

NEWS
The Supreme Court has delivered a decisive ruling on termination under the JCT Design & Build form. Writing in NLJ this week, Andrew Singer KC and Jonathan Ward, of Kings Chambers, analyse Providence Building Services v Hexagon Housing Association [2026] UKSC 1, which restores the first-instance decision and curbs contractors’ termination rights for repeated late payment
Secondments, disciplinary procedures and appeal chaos all feature in a quartet of recent rulings. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Smith, barrister and emeritus professor of employment law at UEA, examines how established principles are being tested in modern disputes
The AI revolution is no longer a distant murmur—it’s at the client’s desk. Writing in NLJ this week, Peter Ambrose, CEO of The Partnership and Legalito, warns that the ‘AI chickens’ have ‘come home to roost’, transforming not just legal practice but the lawyer–client relationship itself
A High Court ruling involving the Longleat estate has exposed the fault line between modern family building and historic trust drafting. Writing in NLJ this week, Charlotte Coyle, director and family law expert at Freeths, examines Cator v Thynn [2026] EWHC 209 (Ch), where trustees sought approval to modernise trusts that retain pre-1970 definitions of ‘child’, ‘grandchild’ and ‘issue’
Fresh proposals to criminalise ‘nudification’ apps, prioritise cyberflashing and non-consensual intimate images, and even ban under-16s from social media have reignited debate over whether the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023) is fit for purpose. Writing in NLJ this week, Alexander Brown, head of technology, media and telecommunications, and Alexandra Webster, managing associate, Simmons & Simmons, caution against reactive law-making that could undermine the Act’s ‘risk-based and outcomes-focused’ design
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