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Lucasfilm did not benefit in any way at Tyburn Film Productions Ltd's expense, counsel said to the appeals court there on 3 December 2025, in part because it already possessed rights over Cushing's likeness and an agreement and consent from the Cushing estate to 'resurrect' him as Grand Moff Tarkin. Tyburn contends it earlier made an agreement with the late actor then, at the time, granting the company a veto over any use of his image prior to his 1994 death. That contract concerns a TV series titled 'Heritage of Horror', which never aired. Tyburn further asserts the deal permits it to effectively 'resurrect' Cushing using stand-ins and CGI to ultimately finish the programme then if the actor were to die whilst filming remained in progress...
Irish telecom operator Eircom’s damages lawsuit against BT Group over a public-sector contract must be carefully managed to trial to deal with confidentiality issues and other matters, a UK judge told the parties today. At the High Court in London today, a judge said Eircom’s damages action against BT over a public-sector contract needs tight case management through to trial to address confidentiality and related concerns. Eircom brought the claim after Ofcom in 2020 penalised BT for its behaviour during a tender. Speaking to both sides, Judge Adam Johnson urged them to resolve any confidentiality flashpoints themselves and signalled he had no wish to step in unless it became unavoidable. He also expressed confidence that parties would do everything possible to keep confidential designations to a minimum, noting this was necessary to maintain control over the conduct of the trial. He framed this as the
The following document is attached: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/274 dated 5 February 2026, revising Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1981, establishing a final anti-dumping levy on imports of ceramic tableware and kitchenware produced in...
Justice Richard Arnold granted AstraZeneca leave to appeal and permitted lorries carrying about 175,000 packs of Glenmark’s generics to move on to wholesalers, provided they did not reach pharmacy shelves while the case continued at any point during those interim proceedings. In this way, Glenmark could keep its first-to-market advantage, while causing only minimal detriment to AstraZeneca should the Court of Appeal later be persuaded to issue an injunction against supply. The judge said this approach maintained the status quo with the least possible prejudice to Glenmark’s position overall. The hearing was arranged at short notice, just days after the High Court refused AstraZeneca an injunction to block the diabetes generic from sale while the court considered whether the patents supporting the branded medicine were valid in law. Glenmark, Generics (UK) Ltd and Teva Pharmaceuticals have each begun proceedings in the UK to set...
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Key takeaways The CMA Guidance, derived from the Code, sets out detailed expectations for any environmental or sustainability claims by fashion brands about products or ranges, plus steps to achieve compliance. The emphasis is on giving enough information so claims are clear, specific, accurate, and supported by evidence. Businesses are encouraged to implement strong internal controls to ensure the accuracy of environmental claims in line with the Guidance. This means having suitable policies, routine staff training, and mechanisms to check product listings and supplier assertions. The Guidance precedes the CMA’s forthcoming enforcement powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 ( DMCCA 2024), which will permit financial penalties of up to 10% of a business’s global turnover for breaches of consumer protection law. The CMA has already contacted 17 fashion brands over concerns about their environmental claims, signalling active oversight and an...
Visual Investments International Ltd v HMRC [2024] UKFTT 843 ( TC) Legal advice was obtained to pursue enforcement of an alleged oral agreement concerning the transfer of shares in two broadcasting technology companies to a joint venture, Streaming Investments plc, which later entered creditors’ voluntary liquidation. Broadcasting Investment Group Ltd ( BIG), a subsidiary of the appellant, rather than the appellant itself, held a significant shareholding in the joint venture. The First-tier Tribunal determined that BIG, and not the appellant, was the principal recipient of the majority of the legal services. As the appellant and BIG were not joined in a VAT group, the appellant had no right to recover VAT on services rendered to its subsidiary. Additionally, as set out below, the Tribunal concluded that the appellant’s owners—a father and son—were also recipients of the legal services......
Hill and another v HMRC [2024] UKFTT 844 ( TC) Mr Hill and Mr Mc Cracken served as administrators of two pension schemes that were managed on their behalf by Liddell Dunbar Ltd, a company which subsequently entered liquidation. In January 2018, HMRC formally sent information notices to both men in their capacity as scheme administrators. Their advisers, Independent Tax ( IT), informed them that, because the scheme had been wound up, there ‘should be no need to respond’ to the notices, and advised accordingly. A review by HMRC was then requested; the review upheld the information notices, albeit with certain elements varied. No appeal was lodged against the notices at that stage. HMRC proceeded to issue £300 penalties for failure to comply to the administrators and, in February 2019, followed up with daily penalties being imposed by HMRC. HMRC wrote to the...
The Pensions Regulator ( TPR) confirmed it had formally issued a contribution notice to Anant Shah, sole director of Meghraj Financial Services Ltd, in August 2023. The Pension Protection Fund ( PPF), which is responsible for enforcing the notice, was 'currently pursuing Anant Shah for payment', TPR added. This disclosure appeared in a regulatory intervention report, a case-study style publication that TPR regularly releases to clearly set out practical examples of enforcement activity. ' Our report underlines how we will pursue those who remove funds to the detriment of scheme members,' said Mel Charles, interim executive director of regulatory compliance at TPR. ' It shows, once again, our resolve to investigate complex commercial arrangements and fully deploy our powers to......
Sarah Pritchard, the FCA's executive director for supervision, stated that policy proposals would come after the publication of a report on misconduct cases in both the wholesale banking and insurance markets in the year 2023. The insurance sector, traditionally dominated by men, has faced a series of scandals in recent years amid claims of sexual harassment and bullying. In 2023 the FCA conducted a survey into instances of non-financial misconduct involving wholesale brokers (an intermediary between a retail broker and an insurer), banks and insurers. Pritchard remarked during a live-streamed annual general meeting of the......
Banking & Finance— July to September 2024 case round-up Njord Partners Sma- Seal Lp and other companies v Astir Maritime Ltd and others [2024] EWHC 1682 ( Comm) Facility agreement—false representations of assets The Commercial Court ruled for the claimant lenders under a facility agreement, holding the second and third defendants liable in deceit and conspiracy. That liability stemmed from false statements in documents purporting to set out asset values and ownership, which led the lenders to enter into the facility agreement. Lipton and another v BA Cityflyer Ltd [2024] UKSC 24 Aviation finance—compensation for delayed flights—rights accrued under an EU regulation prior to Brexit The Supreme Court dismissed Cityflyer’s appeal against the Court of Appeal ( Civil Division), concluding that Cityflyer’s defence under Regulation ( EC) 261/2004 to the respondent’s claim for financial compensation for a delayed flight was not made out. The appeal concerned...
Mergers The CMA has decided that Amazon.com, Inc’s partnership with Anthropic PBC is not a qualifying merger under the Enterprise Act 2002—see further, case page. NOTE— For live CMA mergers, see UK mergers—ongoing cases tracker. Private actions The CAT has published two opt-out collective proceedings applications under section 47B Competition Act 1998: Vicki Shotbolt Class Representative v Valve Corporation, on behalf of UK-based consumers, alleging abuse of dominance contrary to Article 102 TFEU and/or Chapter II in PC video games and related add-on content—see further, application. Professor Barry Rodger v Google and others, for UK-based consumers, alleging breaches of Article 102 TFEU and/or Chapter II in Android app distribution and the licensable smart mobile OS markets—see further, application. NOTE— For UK private actions made public, see UK private actions—ongoing cases...
Mergers The CMA has issued an extension to the inquiry timetable under section 39(4) of the Enterprise Act 2002 in Spreadex/ Sporting Index, as Spread and Spread. Com Limited failed to supply documents and information under section 109 of the Enterprise Act 2002—see the case page for details. Note— For all live mergers before the CMA, see UK mergers—ongoing cases tracker. Upcoming dates For dates of forthcoming UK competition developments, see the UK Competition calendar......
On 26 September 2024, the Court of Appeal threw out two joined appeals, each arising from typical PPI misselling disputes where a customer had submitted a written claim and was then offered a smaller amount by the bank. The court decided that Santander Cards’ redress letter to Christine Self made plain that the offer, if taken up, would be a full and final settlement 'of this and any other claims' against the bank. In the separate matter involving Skipton and customer Jason Harrop, the court likewise found there had been a 'consensual offer and acceptance of a lesser sum' that can only be understood as an offer to compromise and settle. Justice Jeremy Stuart- Smith also rejected Self’s assertion that Santander was already obliged, under the Financial Conduct Authority’s ( FCA) dispute resolution complaints procedures, to pay...
Mergers The Commission approved the proposed transaction conferring joint control over SFS Group B. V....
Mergers The Commission cleared, following phase I reviews: Exyte Gmb H’s purchase of Kinetics Holdings Gmb H ( M.11559)—see press release; Alten SA’s takeover of sole control of Worldgrid France SAS and assets of the Worldgrid Smart Energy Solutions segment ( M.11632)—see Midday Express; a joint venture by Egis Airport Operation SAS, Egis Investment Partners France II SCA, Bouygues Construction Airport Concessions and Impact V S.à r.l. ( M.11705)—see Midday Express; and joint control of Hargreaves Lansdown by Nordic Capital XI Limited, CVC Capital Partners plc and Platinum Ivy B 2018 RSC ( M.11716)—see Midday Express. Notifications: CVC/ Fidelio/ Odevo ( M.11735) (simplified); Sonoco/ Eviosys ( M.11637) (simplified); VTTI/ SNAM/ ALNG ( M.11568) (normal). NOTE— For live mergers, see EU mergers—ongoing cases tracker. State aid The Commission approved, under EU state aid rules, €102m French support to modernise the Naye terminal at the port of...
On 27 September 2024, Lane Clark & Peacock LLP ( LCP) proposed that National Insurance be applied to the sums companies contribute each month to employees’ pension pots, as a way to raise extra revenue. The remarks come as speculation intensifies over how Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves might repair the national budget at her first Autumn Statement, scheduled for 30 October 2024. The newly elected Labour government said that the previous incumbent Conservative Party had left a £22bn shortfall in public finances overall......
What are the practical implications of this case? The ruling makes plain that a misinterpretation of the underlying contractual structure exposes an arbitral award to challenge for being contrary to the public policy of India and for patent illegality apparent on the face of the award. The judge added that any later analysis or evaluation within the award is equally tainted by that foundational misunderstanding. Consequently, any findings anchored in that error cannot stand. The effect of the decision is that courts will refrain from revisiting contractual construction on the merits, yet they will intervene where the stance taken is unreasonable and cannot be reconciled with the evidence on record. The judge affirmed that an arbitrator must not go astray by pronouncing on the relevance of multiple contracts without first properly appreciating the framework that defines the parties' contractual...
The FCA is intervening earlier in companies' affairs without conducting a full-blown probe Recent FCA figures mirror accounts from white-collar practitioners, indicating the watchdog is leaning more on its interventions team to tackle operational worries swiftly, rather than embarking on lengthier regulatory investigations. According to Jonathan Cavill, partner at Pinsent Masons LLP, the takeaway for regulated businesses is to avoid needlessly amplifying concerns the authority may have wrongly formed. He stressed that firms must think carefully about what they tell the FCA, the timing of their communications, and how their messages might be perceived, so they meet obligations not to mislead the regulator. The shift towards interventions comes as traditional enforcement probes have fallen by nearly 30% over the past year, per enforcement statistics released in September alongside the FCA’s annual report. Used unilaterally or on a voluntary basis, the...
The complaint centers on what Google says are unfair and illegal licensing terms in its contracts for Azure. Google claims Microsoft’s Azure deals contain unjust and unlawful licensing conditions. The company says that in 2019 Microsoft moved from letting customers transfer their Windows Server licences to any cloud provider to imposing hefty fees when the choice wasn’t Azure. Now, Google argues, migrating licences to Azure costs next to nothing, but moving to a competing cloud can trigger a 400 per cent mark-up to purchase new Windows Server licences. Moreover, even when customers accept the expense of choosing a rival, Google says Microsoft then restricts security updates and other improvements that Azure users are not denied. They maintain that Microsoft is the only cloud operator employing these tactics, which have seriously harmed European businesses and governments, Google Cloud executives Amit Zavery and Tara Brady wrote in a blog...
The Equality and Human Rights Commission ( EHRC) has issued updated guidance, urging employers to act proactively to fulfil their duty to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, a requirement that takes effect in October. Assess potential risks Decide on practical steps they can implement Routinely review the measures put in place to tackle sexual harassment The EHRC will be able to take enforcement action against organisations and, where it finds breaches of the law, may issue an unlawful act notice or seek a court injunction. The EHRC, which promotes equality and non-discrimination laws, also states that employers must create a ‘robust anti-harassment policy’ and communicate it widely. This policy should cover instances where clients or customers sexually harass members of staff......
On 2 August 2024, Ireland’s Government released the Defamation ( Amendment) Bill (the ‘ Bill’). It stems from recommendations set out in the 2022 Report of the Review of the Defamation Act 2009 and the 2023 Draft General Scheme of the Defamation ( Amendment) Bill (the ‘ General Scheme’). Although the Bill does not carry across every reform proposed in the General Scheme—for instance measures on the statute of limitations and jurisdictional forum shopping—it is anticipated that a number of meaningful updates will be made to the current defamation regime. The most notable of these are summarised below. Removal of Juries in High Court Defamation Actions The Bill would abolish juries in High Court defamation proceedings. The objective is to: minimise the risk of excessive damages being awarded to plaintiffs reduce delays and legal costs in...
KSY Juice Blends UK Ltd v Citrosuco GMBH [2024] EWHC 2098 ( Comm) What are the practical implications of this case? The upshot of the ruling is that where a sale of goods contract stipulates that price is to be agreed, and it never is, the bargain cannot be enforced, since price is plainly a fundamental term of such an agreement. This is because the price of the goods is, quite clearly, an essential component of the contract itself. The judgment will interest both those who prepare sale of goods documentation and those involved in disputes where wording of this kind appears. One might assume that stating the price is to be agreed would, failing consensus, simply engage section 8 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 ( SGA 1979), so that the buyer must pay a reasonable sum. Yet, this decision in effect...
What are the practical implications of this case? The decision, though from the County Court at first instance, carries real procedural weight because of issues arising at the junction and interplay of the Insolvency Act 1986 and Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 proceedings. Alongside the issue of whether claims under IA 1986, ss 339 and 423 can proceed in the face of POCA 2002, s 419—a matter of clear interest to practitioners—the court also tackled difficult questions about access to documents within POCA 2002 proceedings. Declining to accept the trustee’s position, His Honour Judge Matthews observed that it was ‘scarcely fair’ that such documents were not freely and openly available in those proceedings. The judgment also charts the origins of the law on sham, what the concept entails, and, crucially, whether a finding of sham necessarily carries a finding of...
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When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...
This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...
Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...
I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...
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