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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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East Riding of Yorkshire Council as administrating authority of the East Riding Pension Fund v KMG SICAV- SIF- SA [2024] EWHC 1069 ( Ch) What are the practical implications of this case? While numerous decisions explore how IA 1986, ss 220 and 221 operate, there is comparatively little guidance on what amounts to an ‘unregistered company’ and how far that concept extends. IA 1986, s 220(1) states that, for this Part, an “unregistered company” includes any association and any company, save for a company registered under the Companies Act 2006 in any part of the United Kingdom. The judgment offers a significant examination of how that wording applies to an entity that is neither an association nor a company lacking UK registration, yet which may exhibit certain corporate features. The court was invited to treat the statutory definition as...
Star Engineering Pte Ltd — Applicant; and (1) Pollisum Engineering Pte Ltd (2) Great Eastern General Insurance Ltd [2024] SGHC 137 What are the practical implications of this case? The High Court’s ruling reinforces the Singapore judiciary’s enduring commitment to honouring parties’ bargains to arbitrate—the courts will shield parties’ fundamental freedom to decide both the cause of action and the forum in which to proceed under valid arbitration agreements. In the more specific setting of resisting a call on a performance bond (which the Court described as a functional, mechanical instrument giving effect to the construction contract), the judgment delivers a firm message: notwithstanding a non‑exclusive jurisdiction clause in the bond, the Singapore court is ready to halt court proceedings in favour of arbitration. That stance holds even if the controversy could be resolved more quickly were it to be determined by the court on a...
Blackrock Holdco 5, LLC v HMRC [2024] EWCA Civ 330 What was the background? In April 2024, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in the Blackrock appeal. The dispute focused on whether companies could deduct interest under the transfer pricing ( TP) rules and the Unallowable Purpose Rule, as set out in sections 441–442 of the Corporation Tax Act 2009. A US-headed group deployed a debt-financed, Delaware-incorporated SPV that was UK tax resident ( LLC 5) within the structure for acquiring a US target. LLC 5 took an interest-bearing loan from its US parent ( LLC 4) of approximately $4bn to purchase preference shares issued by the acquisition vehicle ( LLC 6), which generated non-taxable income. LLC 5 sought to surrender its tax losses, for no consideration, to other UK entities within the Black Rock group as group relief. HMRC contested the interest...
Statutory consultation process challenge Kate Thomas, whose bid for elevation to circuit court judge was refused in 2021, is contesting the ‘statutory consultation’ stage through which the Judicial Appointments Commission ( JAC) seeks views from other judges on candidates’ suitability. On 13 June 2024, a three-judge panel granted permission for a review assessing the fairness of that procedure, its consistency with regulations on judicial appointments, and any breach of applicants’ right to a private life. The Master of the Rolls, Geoffrey Vos, observed there was ‘much to be said’ for the JAC’s contention that the confidentiality of references obtained via statutory consultation must be protected. Nevertheless, he considered that, in the exceptional circumstances of this case, the appellant’s criticisms of the process should be determined on the basis of all the evidence at a full judicial review hearing, rather than being disposed of at a...
Swiss Reinsurance Co. Ltd and Chubb European Group SE informed the High Court they should not be responsible for grounded planes in GTLK Europe DAC’s claim against the insurers in the present case, as the matters fall within 'war risks' under their respective policies, according to a defence dated 7 June 2024 that has now been made public. Chubb told the court that, 'if the aircraft were detained in Russia and prevented from leaving... any such detention or restraint was caused by a peril encompassed by the policies’ war and allied risks cover'. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, aircraft lessors brought a wave of proceedings seeking indemnification from insurers, with the High Court......
On 13 June 2024, HM Treasury stated that the latest sanctions package, imposing limits on four oil tankers, would further tighten the financial flows supporting Russia’s war campaign in Ukraine. Since Britain, the US and other Group of Seven nations introduced a price cap of US$60 a barrel on the movement of Russian oil, a parallel market of tankers operating beyond the reach of sanctions has also emerged. Ingosstrakh is believed to be a major provider of insurance for tankers in the shadow fleet......
R (on the application of Carralyn Parkes) v Dorset Council [2024] EWHC 1253 ( Admin) What are the practical implications of this case? This ruling confirms how far planning control reaches in England and Wales under the TCPA 1990 where land meets the sea, and addresses whether ‘land’ covers the sea bed beyond the foreshore’s LWM. Although the High Court was told there is considerable opposition to the Bibby Stockholm being moored in the harbour and to its role in accommodating asylum seekers, the court emphasised it was not there to judge the merits of those controversies. Its focus was strictly on the legal issues presented by the claim... What was the background? The Bibby Stockholm is a barge stationed in Portland Harbour, Dorset, used by the Home Office to house asylum seekers. Up to 500 men are expected to live on the vessel while their asylum...
Labour — tipped to take office — alongside the ruling Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, rolled out glossy policy brochures chiefly centred on the economy, tax and immigration. For anyone seeking momentum in tackling dirty cash, the offerings were thin... Before Labour’s manifesto on 13 June 2024, prospects seemed brighter. Last month David Lammy, the party’s foreign affairs lead, pledged payments to whistleblowers who expose sanctioned entities hiding money. He branded corruption and money laundering in the UK as ‘toxic’, and vowed action against professional enablers — lawyers and accountants — who conceal illicit wealth for the affluent, a stance that would have galvanised campaigners. Yet those ambitions did not survive into the final document. Labour did promise to refresh the UK’s fraud strategy and involve tech platforms to reduce online fraud, but the current strategy, published in May 2023, already commits to...
In addition to the stories covered in full in the Financial Services news feed on 17 June 2024 Subscribers might find the following further developments of interest: FSB Plenary convenes in Toronto FCA: LCC Trans- Sending Limited will stop accepting any new customers,......
JTI Acquisition Company (2011) Ltd v HMRC [2024] EWCA Civ 652 The appellant, JTI Acquisition Company (2011) Ltd ( JTIAC), was a UK-resident entity established by a US group to act as an acquisition vehicle. The US group had entered into a commercial deal to purchase another US-headed group, LTT, for $1.1 billion. To finance half of the consideration, debt was pushed down from the US by JTIAC issuing interest-bearing loan notes to a US group member. After the deal completed, JTIAC claimed around £40 million of corporation tax deductions over time on the loan note interest, which it surrendered to profitable companies within the UK group. For US tax, a check-the-box election was made so there was no taxable receipt in the US to mirror the UK deductions......
Instead of veering away from the Conservatives’ reform path, Labour stated on 13 June 2024 that, if it wins the 4 July 2024 general election, it will press on with existing productive finance changes. This will reassure a market that finds sweeping shifts difficult and had been unsettled by the snap poll. David Brooks, policy lead at Broadstone, noted that with the Conservatives similarly light on fresh proposals, pensions can plan for steady continuity over the next five years; he said this is encouraging given the volume of measures already moving through regulators and Parliament. The pension stances of the three principal contenders are set out below, starting with Labour, widely expected to end 14 years of Conservative government by a comfortable margin. Labour One of the earliest pension signals tied to Labour’s platform surfaced weeks before the manifesto launch: it would not seek to restore the...
Mergers The Commission cleared: the takeover of sole control of Velo Bank S. A. by funds and accounts overseen by Cerberus Capital Management, L. P. and its affiliates ( M.11522) following a phase I review—see further Midday Express the acquisition of joint control of eu Networks Group Limited by APG Asset Management N. V.......
Subsidy Control The Subsidy Advice issued its final report giving guidance to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on the proposed Sizewell C FID Scheme—see report for more The Subsidy Advice published its final report advising the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on the proposed Sizewell C Development Expenditure Scheme—see the report for details The Subsidy Advice Unit delivered its final report offering advice to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Business Trade on the proposed Energy Intensive Industry Exemption from Nuclear Regulated Asset Base Policy Costs subsidy scheme—see the report for further information NOTE— For every decision referred to the Subsidy Advice Unit under the Subsidy Control Act 2022, see further, UK subsidy control—cases tracker Upcoming dates For dates of forthcoming UK competition developments, see further, UK Competition calendar......
Update to a recent blog post In an update to a recent blog post on its push to create AI for Europeans in ‘a transparent and responsible way’, Meta said it was disappointed by a request from the Irish Data Protection Commission (its lead EU privacy regulator) to postpone training its large language models on images, posts and other public content shared by adult users of Facebook and Instagram. The company, which owns both platforms, maintained it is highly confident its approach aligns with European laws and regulations, noting that since March 2024 it has kept data protection authorities across the EU informed and incorporated their feedback during development. Meta argued the move is a setback for European innovation and competition in AI, and will further delay delivering the benefits of AI to people in Europe. It also pointed out that using public data to train...
Pensions Ombudsman determination: Mrs E ( CAS-38639- F6P7)—29 April 2024 What was the background to the Pensions Ombudsman’s decision? Mrs E was employed by Avis Budget Group (the employer) from 18 August 1986 until her redundancy on 21 December 1992. During this period, the applicant belonged to the final salary section of the Avis UK Pension Plan (the Plan), which was governed by the Avis UK Pension Plan Trust Deed and Rules (the Rules). Avis Pension Trustee Limited served as trustee of the Plan (the trustee). On 18 May 1990, the CJEU handed down its judgment in Barber v Guardian Royal Exchange [1990] 2 All ER 660. It determined that, because pension benefits fell within the scope of Article 119 of the Treaty of Rome (renamed the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union), occupational pension schemes had to equalise the NRD for male and...
Tulip Trading Tulip Trading, the firm controlled by computer scientist Craig Wright, has withdrawn a concurrent legal action it had been pursuing against a cohort of bitcoin developers. Wright, an Australian who asserted he was Satoshi Nakamoto, bitcoin’s creator, was rebuffed by a searing May judgment handed down confirming he is not Satoshi. A formal notice discontinuing the proceedings was issued to both parties on 16 April 2024, per submissions further presented to the High Court on 14 June 2024 from Adam Baradon KC of Blackstone Chambers, acting for Tulip Trading and Craig Wright. In the Tulip Trading matter, Wright’s firm had brought a claim against 16 bitcoin network developers, alleging that it is unable to directly reach digital assets valued at £4.5bn because its private keys—the code governing control of those assets—were erased in a hack. Tulp resolved to......
Morley’s ( Fast Foods) Ltd v Nanthakumar and others [2024] EWHC 1369 ( IPEC) What are the practical implications of this case? The trade mark issues were unremarkable; the judge had little difficulty concluding that the defendants’ principal sign infringed. The real battleground was whether the sign they adopted amounted to a ‘reasonable modification’ of the settlement sign and was therefore authorised under the settlement agreement. The court decided it was not. With hindsight, the claimant may feel the settlement could have been framed differently to avoid this dispute... ‘ Reasonable modifications’ might have been expressly defined, even though the court’s construction in this instance was favourable to the claimant... A dedicated dispute resolution mechanism could have been included to secure a swifter, lower‑cost determination... The agreement offered no safeguard to the defendant franchisees. To shield franchisees from future claims, a...
AP v JP and another [2024] EWHC 1197 ( Fam) What are the practical implications of this case? The court characterised this as an ‘unfortunate’ and ‘unusual’ matter, the intricacy of which justified appointing an advocate to the court to assist. AP’s difficulties in securing legal recognition of his and JP’s ongoing relationship arose squarely from the terms of MCA 1973, s 11 as they applied at two particular moments in time. First, in 2009—the date of their initial marriage ceremony— MCA 1973, s 11(c) expressly provided that any purported marriage between two people of the same sex was void. That statutory bar in turn fundamentally unravelled AP’s first application, issued in 2018, for a declaration under section 55(1)(a) of the Family Law Act 1986 ( FLA 1986) that the 2009 marriage was ‘at its inception a valid marriage’ (emphasis added). In short, the...
Re Toogood International Transport and Agricultural Services Ltd [2024] EWHC 1425 ( Ch) What are the practical implications of this case? At first glance, the decision appears to assist office-holders. In practice, a creditor who has already been paid in full is even less inclined than most to take part in the insolvency process, and this judgment clarifies that they can be left out of account for that purpose. However, when the Insolvency Service released its First Review of the Insolvency ( England and Wales) Rules 2016 ( IR 2016), SI 2016/1024 on 5 April 2022 (the Insolvency Service Report), it recorded a different governmental stance—essentially that creditor categorisation is fixed at the point of entry into administration and then continues, regardless of any subsequent repayment in full......
Extramarks Education India Pvt Ltd v Saraswati Shishu Mandi.r O. M. P. ( T) ( COMM.) 13/2024 and O. M. P. ( T) ( COMM.) 14/2024a What are the practical implications of this case? This ruling makes clear that bringing an arbitrator’s mandate to an end does not terminate the arbitration. It simply leads to a substitute being appointed, who may carry on the reference from the point the former arbitrator stopped. Importantly, the decision reiterates that, under Sections 14 and 15 of the 1996 Act, an arbitrator’s mandate can be ended if they become non-responsive or fail to act. As the termination of the arbitrator’s mandate does not extinguish the arbitral proceedings, the replacement may proceed without retracing steps already completed by the predecessor. However, this mechanism for substitution does not operate where the mandate ceases solely because the...
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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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