Litigation/Dispute Resolution

A Court of Appeal ruling that the wording of a settlement of a personal injury claim supplanted fixed costs could have “significant” implications, including for cases that have already settled.

The Court of Appeal has reinstated a £5bn claim that a High Court judge struck out because it risked becoming “the largest white elephant in the history of group actions”.

A former City solicitor was wrong not to return to a Saudi princess a $25m fund he had been managing for her over several years, the High Court has ruled.

An agreement that a defendant will pay their solicitors a percentage of any sums they successfully resist having to pay the claimant is unlawful and unenforceable, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

A litigation funder launched this week with £25m backing from a US private equity firm is targeting what a “niche within a niche” – cases worth up to £1m in the Midlands and the North.

A law firm has been ordered to pay wasted costs of £7,920 for not satisfying itself that the director of a company in deadlock with the other director had the authority to give it instructions.

A litigant in person is not statute-barred from suing a law centre and barrister for professional negligence, a High Court master has ruled.

The rules on misconduct in the CPR do not apply to solicitor/client costs assessments, the High Court has decided in overturning a finding against a Manchester law firm.

A rethought costs system that puts digitisation, vulnerable court users and a properly functioning civil justice system is the goal set out in a Civil Justice Council consultation.

A costs judge has ruled that a litigation friend did not give informed consent to deductions from a protected party’s damages simply by signing a conditional fee agreement.