The principle of sovereign immunity means that commercial dealings with foreign powers can be particularly hazardous. However, in a guideline decision, the High Court opened the way for a bank to seek enforcement of a $250 million debt against an African state and its government.
Many long leaseholders mistakenly believe that they have much the same rights as freeholders and can do pretty much what they like with their properties. As one case strikingly showed, however, ignoring the terms of your lease can put both your home and your investment
A man succeeded in refuting claims that he brought pressure to bear on an elderly friend before she made a will in his favour. However, he would have found that task a great deal easier had he engaged a practising solicitor to draft the document
Even those whose medical conditions or incapacities are not so grave as to amount to disabilities can win compensation if they suffer discrimination in the workplace. The Court of Appeal made that clear in upholding a substantial damages award made to a police officer whose
Very occasionally, issues of great commercial or social importance can hinge on the correct legal definition of a single word. That was certainly so in one case in which the meaning put upon the word ‘mast’ by the Court of Appeal had a major impact
Helping friends in financial trouble is one thing, but assisting them to defraud their creditors is quite another. In a case on point, a woman who came to the dishonest aid of a businessman facing bankruptcy was herself hit hard in the pocket. The woman
Regulatory decisions can have a devastating, even fatal, impact on businesses, but to what extent can their effect be suspended pending appeal? That burning issue was addressed by the Supreme Court in a test case focused on the alcohol industry. The case concerned three alcohol
Very rich people often live jet set lifestyles of ceaseless travel and pinning down the country in which they are domiciled can be a serious challenge. The High Court faced exactly that difficulty in a case concerning the acrimonious breakdown of a relationship between a
Many vulnerable people who fall into debt are tempted to raise cash on the security of their homes. However, a case in which an elderly couple came within an ace of losing the roof over their heads stands as a warning to all that such
In a guideline decision of great interest to commercial property landlords, the Upper Tribunal (UT) has ruled that prestige office premises which were stripped bare in preparation for the arrival of a new tenant had a nil rateable value. The case concerned two floors of
