Trigger Litigation

The Supreme Court has reserved judgment in the EL Trigger Litigation appeal. Judgment is expected within two or three months.

An end to expert witness immunity

In the landmark case of Jones v Kaney, the Supreme Court by a majority of five to two has held that expert witnesses can now be sued for negligence in respect of evidence they give to a court.

Contract : a dispute over jurisdiction

In this case, in which Watmores represented the successful party Haitoglou Brothers SA, an English court has ruled that the courts of Greece have priority under the Judgments Regulation. The dispute must therefore be litigated in the courts of Greece.

Supreme Court supports LAML

The Supreme Court has now vindicated those who set up the London Authorities Mutual Ltd (LAML) by affirming that the tendering procedure was not flawed and local authorities were entitled to enter into insurance arrangements with LAML.

Common Sense, Common Safety

Lord Young's report on how best to tackle the compensation culture and how to reduce the burden of health and safety regulation, has now been published.

EL Trigger Litigation - Court of Appeal decision

After a delay of nearly a year from when final submissions were made to the Court of Appeal, the Court today issued its decision. The learned judges were unable to agree with each other as to their reasons, but they have allowed some appeals and dismissed others.

Solicitors' costs : new hourly rates

Part 36 offers : important CA case

The Court of Appeal has now made it clear that if a Part 36 offer is rejected it does not automatically lapse, and if subsequent offers are made they do not automatically supersede previous offers. Litigants must take care to withdraw offers if they wish to ensure that their opponent does not accept the offer belatedly. The ordinary rules of contract whereby an offer lapses when it has been rejected, do not apply to Part 36.

Pleural Plaques - Government announcement

The Siemens case: remoteness of damage in contract

The Court of Appeal has now given useful guidance on remoteness of damage where there has been breach of contract and a number of system failures have contributed to the loss. Watmores represented the victorious party, Siemens Building Technologies FE Ltd.