Commercial Litigation UK

  • January 27, 2026

    Slapped Down: SRA At Crossroads After SLAPP Setbacks

    The string of failed prosecutions brought by the Solicitors Regulation Authority against City lawyers accused of trying to silence journalists on behalf of clients has raised questions about its enforcement strategy, with critics accusing the watchdog of overreaching its rules.

  • January 27, 2026

    Solicitors Says Confusion With Rival Firm's Name Is 'Trivial'

    Hunter's Solicitors LLP has denied passing off its legal services as those of Hunters Law LLP, claiming that any isolated confusion between the two firms is "trivial, rare, and legally insignificant."

  • January 27, 2026

    Lloyd's Syndicate Says Reinsurers Owe Millions Over COVID

    A Lloyd's of London syndicate told a trial Tuesday that a group of underwriters and insurance companies owe it several million dollars for losses suffered when venues shut down around the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • January 27, 2026

    Mirror Group Attempts To Trim Phone Hacking Claims

    Mirror Group Newspapers urged a London judge Tuesday to rule that the claims of a selection of alleged phone-hacking victims should be dismissed, arguing they would have known enough years earlier to sue it.

  • January 27, 2026

    Execs Say $22M Investec Loan Breached Sberbank Sanctions

    Two business executives have denied owing Investec Bank PLC almost £22 million ($30.2 million) over loan agreements, arguing that the Anglo-South African lender knew the deals were designed to aid the purchase of a Russian bank's assets in breach of sanctions.

  • January 27, 2026

    Home Office Pressed Over Failure To Explain RTW Fine

    The Home Office must explain how it has determined that someone does not have the right to work in the U.K. when it issues penalty notices to employers, a restaurant argued at Britain's top court on Tuesday.

  • January 27, 2026

    Ex-Biotech CEO Wins New Shot At Whistleblowing Claim

    A London appeals judge has handed the sacked chief executive of a biotechnology company a second shot at his whistleblowing claim, slamming an earlier tribunal's "wholly insufficient" assessment of his claimed protected disclosures.

  • January 27, 2026

    CMA Seeks To Appeal Re-Do Of £70M Pfizer, Flynn Drug Fines

    The Competition and Markets Authority sought permission from the Court of Appeal on Tuesday to challenge a decision that criticized and revised the £70 million ($96 million) in fines it issued to Pfizer and Flynn Pharma for excessive pricing.

  • January 27, 2026

    Cleaning Co. Settles Claim Over Lost £237M NHS Contract Bid

    A provider of cleaning services has reached a settlement in its claim against a health authority that the company said had wrongly denied it a £237 million ($325 million) contract award through an opaque and unfair procurement process.

  • January 26, 2026

    Al Habtoor Group Escalates $1.7B Dispute With Lebanon

    Emirati conglomerate Al Habtoor Group said Monday that it will step up an investment treaty dispute against Lebanon over an alleged $1.7 billion in losses to its investments in hotels, real estate and other sectors in the country, saying it has "no other alternative."

  • January 26, 2026

    Civil Penalty Notices Under Scrutiny At Top UK Court

    Britain's highest court will examine on Tuesday the validity of civil penalty notices issued by the Home Office to employers for hiring someone who does not have the right to work in the country, amid a surge in enforcement and rising fines.

  • January 26, 2026

    Police Unfairly Sanctioned Chairs Over Race Bias Comments

    A London judge ruled Monday the police federation failed to properly consider the right to freedom of expression held by two of its chairs before sanctioning them for speaking their mind publicly about race matters in policing. 

  • January 26, 2026

    Ithaca Settles $88M Dispute Over Oil Company Acquisition

    Ithaca Energy (UK) Ltd. has settled a dispute with the former owners of an oil and gas company it acquired who had alleged that the North Sea operator owed them $88.2 million following the deal.

  • January 26, 2026

    Cleaning Co. Sues TfL Over Failed £775M Contract Bid

    A cleaning company has sued London's transport authority, accusing it of not providing sufficient reasons for awarding a £775 million ($1 billion) contract to a rival.

  • January 26, 2026

    Valve Corp. Must Face £656M Class Action Over Steam Fees

    The Competition Appeal Tribunal approved Monday a £656 million ($899 million) opt-out collective action accusing Valve Corp., the owner of the world's largest video game distribution platform, of using its market dominance to overcharge people in the U.K.

  • January 26, 2026

    Mail's Spying Gave Me 'Sleepless Nights,' Sadie Frost Says

    Actor Sadie Frost told a London court on Monday that the publisher of the Daily Mail had "violated" her through stories about her personal life, alleging that its journalists had used information gained through unlawful methods such as tapping her landline phone.

  • January 26, 2026

    Solicitor Accused Of Encouraging Bogus Immigration Claim

    A solicitor encouraged an undercover reporter posing as a prospective client to put forward a "false narrative" in support of an asylum application during an investigation into bogus claims, the Solicitors Regulation Authority told a tribunal Monday.

  • February 02, 2026

    New Crown Solicitor Appointed For Northern Ireland

    The U.K. government announced Monday that it has appointed Claire Archbold as the crown solicitor for Northern Ireland.

  • January 26, 2026

    Saudi Arabia Must Pay £3M To Dissident In Spyware Case

    Saudi Arabia must pay more than £3 million ($4.1 million) in damages to a human rights activist critical of the government for "the most acute intrusion" of his private life, involving phone hacking and a targeted assault, a London court ordered Monday.

  • January 26, 2026

    FCA Rejects Business COVID Claim Deadline Extension Bid

    The City watchdog has rejected a bid by a law firm and a group of hospitality sector trade groups to extend the deadline for business interruption claims linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • January 26, 2026

    Goldsmiths Accused Of Copying 88-Facet Diamond Designs

    A gemstone designer has accused Goldsmiths of copying his blueprints for a diamond that has 88 facets, asking a London court to stop the British retail chain from continuing its alleged infringement of his intellectual property.

  • January 23, 2026

    Insider Trading Presumption Challenged By EU Adviser

    An investment bank does not commit insider dealing merely by executing a client's share sale, unless regulators can show the bank held inside information and acted outside its expected professional standards, an adviser to the European Union's top court has said.

  • January 23, 2026

    IndyCar Champ Must Pay McLaren $12M Over Contract Breach

    McLaren Racing won claims against driver Álex Palou totaling approximately $12.4 million on Friday as a London court ruled that he caused the company to lose sponsorships and suffer other losses when he walked away from an F1 deal.

  • January 23, 2026

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

    This past week in London saw Travelers Insurance hit with a claim from a property buyer over a payout tied to collapsed law firm Axiom Ince, Swedish music group Pophouse Entertainment clash with the production company that helped it create the ABBA Voyage experience, and biotech company Vertex Pharmaceuticals sue rival entity ToolGen for patent infringement.

  • January 23, 2026

    Post Office Says Settlement Could Bar Sub-Postmaster's Claim

    The Post Office said Friday that a settlement it reached with people it wrongly prosecuted might bar a former sub-postmaster from suing it over claims it fraudulently obtained a civil judgment against him over an accounting shortfall.

Expert Analysis

  • Waldorf Ruling Signals Recalibration For Restructuring Plans

    Author Photo

    The recent High Court landmark judgment refusing to sanction Waldorf Production PLC's restructuring plan underscores a change in the way courts assess whether such plans are fair, indicating not their demise but a pivotal moment in their evolution, say lawyers at Simpson Thacher.

  • What Key EU Data Ruling Means For Cross-Border Transfers

    Author Photo

    The European Union Court of Justice’s recent judgment in European Data Protection Supervisor v. Single Resolution Board takes a recipient-specific approach concerning pseudonymized information, but financial services firms making international transfers should follow the draft EU Data Protection Board guidelines’ current stricter approach, says Nathalie Moreno at Kennedys Law.

  • Poundland Restructuring Plan Highlights Insolvency Law Shift

    Author Photo

    Poundland’s recently approved £95.2 million restructuring plan in the High Court under Companies Act, Part 26A, demonstrates that the relatively new provision has become an increasingly popular option for rescuing large companies facing insolvency, says Gavin Kramer at Collyer Bristow.

  • EU-US Data Transfer Ruling Offers Reassurance To Cos.

    Author Photo

    The European Union General Court’s recent upholding of the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework in Latombe v. European Commission, although subject to appeal, provides companies with legal certainty for the first time by allowing the transfer of European Economic Area personal data without relying on alternative mechanisms, say lawyers at Wilson Sonsini.

  • Privy Council Shareholder Rule Repeal Is Significant For Cos.

    Author Photo

    The recent Privy Council ruling in Jardine v. Oasis Investment abrogates the shareholder rule, which precluded a company from claiming legal advice privilege for document production in shareholder litigation, providing certainty to company directors seeking legal advice, say lawyers at Harneys.

  • Israeli Ruling Shows A Non-EU ICSID Enforcement Approach

    Author Photo

    An Israeli district court's recent decision declining to enforce an International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes award served as a prominent testing ground for how a non-European Union jurisdiction approaches the enforcement of an intra-EU award against an EU member state, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray’s Inn.

  • Supreme Court Ruling Stands Firm On Trust Law Principles

    Author Photo

    The U.K. Supreme Court’s recent strict application of trust law in Stevens v. Hotel Portfolio may render it more difficult for lawyers in future cases to make arguments based on a holistic assessment of the facts, says Olivia Retter at Quinn Emanuel.

  • High Court Freezing Order Ruling Highlights Strict CPR Rules

    Author Photo

    The recent High Court decision in AAA v. BBB to set aside an expired worldwide freezing order serves as a reminder to injunctive relief practitioners that rules are there to be followed, and that it is critical to adhere to timings, say lawyers at Greenberg Traurig.

  • AI Risks Legal Sector Must Consider In Dispute Resolution

    Author Photo

    Artificial intelligence presents significant opportunities to lawyers and decision-makers navigating increasingly data-heavy legal proceedings, but two recent cases provide a sobering reminder of the potential for misuse, say lawyers at White & Case.

  • UK Supreme Court Dissent May Spark Sanctions Debate

    Author Photo

    While the recent U.K. Supreme Court's rejection of Eugene Shvidler’s appeal determined that sanctions decisions are primarily the government’s preserve, Justice Leggatt’s dissenting view that judges are better placed to assess proportionality will cause ripples and may mark a material shift in how future appeals are approached, say lawyers at Seladore.

  • What UK's New Prosecution Guidance Means For Compliance

    Author Photo

    Recent guidance from the U.K.'s Serious Fraud Office and Crown Prosecution Service, aligning their approach with the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, offers a timely prompt for corporate boards and legal teams to update their risk management frameworks, say lawyers at Signature Litigation.

  • Decoding Arbitral Disputes: ICSID Enforcement In Australia

    Author Photo

    The Federal Court of Australia recently ruled for award creditors in Blasket Renewable Investments v. Spain in a judgment that explains how Australia's statute book operationalizes the promise of depoliticized enforcement under the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes Convention while accommodating, without yielding to, the centrifugal forces of European Union law, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn.

  • How AI May Have Made A Difference In Monzo Bank Breaches

    Author Photo

    Artificial intelligence tools have the capabilities needed to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated threats, and such tools might have helped prevent the anti-money laundering failures that led to the recent £21.1 million fine against Monzo Bank, says Alexander Vilardo at Howard Kennedy.

  • Charting A Course For The UK's Transition From Paper Shares

    Author Photo

    The recent report from the U.K.'s Digitisation Taskforce, recommending modernization of how shares in U.K.-listed companies are held, makes it clear that while moving from paper shares to an intermediated system is a positive step, the transition will not be without complications, say lawyers at HSF Kramer.

  • Irish Ruling Presents Road Map For Evaluating Jurisdiction

    Author Photo

    With its recent decision in Petersen Energia Inversora v. The Argentine Republic, the Dublin Commercial High Court has delivered a judgment of conspicuous clarity on the frontiers of Ireland's service-out jurisdiction for the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray’s Inn.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Commercial Litigation UK archive.