Category: contracts

Do Me a Favour… But How? Helping your counterparties without risking your contractual rights – Radcliffe Chambers

Posted April 23rd, 2020 in chambers articles, company law, contracts, news by sally

‘A lot of attention has focused recently on how to get out of contracts by relying on frustration or force majeure. In the near future, there will be a reckoning of who has behaved well and who has behaved badly, irrespective of their legal rights. In this article, we look at ways in which our less cynical clients can do their commercial counterparties a favour, to help them get through the short term, without running the risk of losing their legal rights in the long term. While our clients might well want to help out the people with whom they do business, they would not want to lose out if they had to prove in a subsequent insolvency.’

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Radcliffe Chambers, 22nd April 2020

Source: radcliffechambers.com

Covid19, Force Majeure and Frustration – Thomas More Chambers

Posted April 23rd, 2020 in chambers articles, contracts, coronavirus, news by sally

‘The Covid19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown have created chaos for many businesses, rendering performance of existing contractual obligations difficult or impossible. This article looks at the potential legal remedies available to businesses facing such difficulties.’

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Thomas More Chambers, 22nd April 2020

Source: www.thomasmore.co.uk

Covid-19: FAQs on electronic signatures and e-signing – The 36 Group

Posted April 21st, 2020 in chambers articles, contracts, coronavirus, documents, electronic filing, news by sally

‘An electronic signature is data in electronic form which is attached to or logically associated with other data in electronic form, and which is used by a signatory to sign.’

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The 36 Group, 15th April 2020

Source: 36group.co.uk

Contractual rights of disclosed principals (Filatona Trading Ltd v Navigator Equities Ltd) – Henderson Chambers

Posted April 21st, 2020 in appeals, chambers articles, contracts, disclosure, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal addressed in this case the interesting question of when it might be possible to exclude the right of a disclosed principal from enforcing and/or relying on the terms of a contract which does not expressly exclude such a principal from its remedies. The court considered the rare circumstances in which that might be a possibility, noting that they are rare indeed, as there is a strong presumption against finding that a disclosed but unnamed principal has given up their contractual remedies. Written by Adam Heppinstall, barrister, Henderson Chambers.’

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Henderson Chambers, 17th April 2020

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk

COVID-19 and “Force Majeure” of contracts? – Not so Fast – 3PB

Posted April 21st, 2020 in chambers articles, contracts, coronavirus, news by sally

‘Force majeure is a continental law (Civil Code) concept addressing, in very general terms, some event or circumstance that causes the inability to perform obligations under a contract.’

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3PB, 3rd April 2020

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

What Does Happen When a CFA Ends Before the Claim for Damages Ends? – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted April 20th, 2020 in appeals, chambers articles, contracts, damages, news, part 36 offers by sally

‘The Appellant (‘Mrs Butler’) entered into a CFA with the Respondent solicitors, (‘Bankside’) in respect of a claim for damages against one company, Metris, for termination of a commercial agency.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 15th April 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Covid 19 Employment Law Series: The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – Parklane Plowden

Posted April 20th, 2020 in chambers articles, contract of employment, contracts, coronavirus, employment, news by sally

‘The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (“CJRS”) on 20th March 2020 with the aim to protect jobs during the crisis. A recent estimate is that this could cost £30-£40 billion over three months[1] and the take-up by businesses is much higher than expected such that 50% of companies are putting most of their staff into the scheme. We are all becoming familiar with the term ‘furlough’ (i.e. to allow or force someone to be absent temporarily from work) and up to nine million workers are now expected to be furloughed. The Scheme was necessarily hastily written in response to an unforeseen crisis and, despite government guidance issued on 27th March 2020 which was updated on 4th April 2020 and then again on 9th April 2020[4], employment lawyers are finding themselves advising on the gaps in the regime. The online service through which employers can make a claim is expected to be up and running by the end of April 2020 however in the interim employers, with the help of their advisors, are having to interpret the guidance to inform significant business decisions.’

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Parklane Plowden, 14th April 2020

Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk

Blind Dates in Contract and Agency: Who is My Contractual Counterparty?! – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted April 20th, 2020 in agency, appeals, chambers articles, contracts, news by sally

‘The Second Respondent (‘Mr Chernukhin’) was a prominent Russian businessman and former State official. In 2001, Mr Chernukhin entered into a joint venture with the Second Appellant (‘Mr Deripaska’), also a prominent Russian businessman, to acquire a controlling interest in a Russian textile company (‘TGM’). It was agreed between Mr Deripaska and Mr Chernukhin that each would contribute equally to the purchase, and that Mr Chernukhin’s then personal partner, one Ms Danilina, would be involved in running the business.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 6th April 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Covid 19 Employment Law Series: Frustration: (Largely) unprecedented measures for unprecedented times? – Parklane Plowden

Posted April 20th, 2020 in chambers articles, contract of employment, contracts, coronavirus, employment, news by sally

‘A contract may come to an end by operation of the doctrine of frustration when an unforeseen event makes performance impossible or radically different to what the parties originally intended. The doctrine applies to employment contracts as it does to other types of contract. However, it is an issue rarely encountered by employment lawyers. Tribunals are generally reluctant to find that an employment contract has been frustrated, largely because the doctrine allows employers to sidestep statutory protections afforded to employees. However, unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures, and frustration may become a useful tool in certain employers’ fight against the disruption caused by the Covid 19 pandemic.’

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Parklane Plowden, 1st April 2020

Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk

Frustration, Force Majeure and Covid-19 – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted April 20th, 2020 in chambers articles, contracts, coronavirus, news by sally

‘Frustration and force majeure are legal concepts very much to the fore during the Covid-19 pandemic. John de Waal QC and Tom Bell review how they apply to the current coronavirus situation.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 14th April 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

The Curse of Covid-19: A Fresh Look at Force Majeure and Frustration – Forum Chambers

Posted April 17th, 2020 in chambers articles, contracts, coronavirus, news by sally

‘In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world have been forced to impose draconian restrictions on the public’s freedom of movement and assembly, and the ability to work and trade. Although there is a growing international consensus that these measures are absolutely necessary to slow the rate of infection and save lives, it is undeniable that they, together with the pandemic itself, will have a profound impact on businesses and individual livelihoods.’

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Forum Chambers, 7th April 2020

Source: www.forumchambers.com

Force Majeure and reasonable endeavours clauses – 11 KBW

Posted April 17th, 2020 in chambers articles, contracts, coronavirus, news by sally

‘As the United Kingdom is in the midst of an extended period of lockdown pursuant to the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 (“the Coronavirus Regulations”), contracting parties are turning to the often overlooked force majeure clauses in their agreements.’

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11 KBW, 9th April 2020

Source: www.11kbw.com

Courting peril: the lessons in Ohpen Operations UK Ltd v Invesco Fund Managers Ltd – Falcon Chambers

Posted April 16th, 2020 in chambers articles, contracts, dispute resolution, news by sally

‘The recent judgment of Mrs Justice O’Farrell in Ohpen Operations UK Ltd v Invesco Fund Managers Ltd [2019] EWHC 2246 (TCC) provided a boost for anyone entering a contract who would prefer to utilise a pre-agreed dispute resolution process in the event of a future contractual disagreement. Specifically, the case provides valuable guidance on the court’s approach if asked to enforce a contractual dispute resolution clause providing for alternative dispute resolution (ADR).’

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Falcon Chambers, April 2020

Source: www.falcon-chambers.com

COVID-19 Dispute Resolution – Applying the Principle of Frustration to Cancellations Caused by the Virus – 4 New Square

Posted April 16th, 2020 in chambers articles, contracts, coronavirus, news by sally

‘What happens where a contracting party no longer wishes to perform their obligations because of COVID-19? This is likely to be a major source of disputes in the near future as contracts become uneconomic or difficult to perform because of the virus and the unprecedented disruption it is causing. What are the rights of the parties where an event has been cancelled because of COVID-19 but one of the parties has paid a deposit and the other has spent money preparing for it?’

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4 New Square, 2nd April 2020

Source: www.4newsquare.com

“Give Me Just A Little More Time” – Littleton Chambers

Posted April 16th, 2020 in chambers articles, contracts, coronavirus, news, sport by sally

‘Bianca Balmelli and Nicholas Siddall QC analyse the legal issues arising from the differing responses of sporting events to the Covid-19 pandemic.’

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Littleton Chambers, 7th April 2020

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Legal realities of an ‘extension’ to the football season – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 9th, 2020 in contract of employment, contracts, coronavirus, delay, news, sport by sally

‘The football world, like almost every other sector of the economy, is grappling with the unprecedented impact of the coronavirus pandemic. In English football, the official position remains as set out in the joint statement issued by the main professional stakeholders on 20 March 2020: football is currently suspended but ‘all options’ are being explored ‘to find ways of resuming the season when conditions allow’.’

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7th April 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Contracting with Coronavirus: the NEC contract terms – 39 Essex Chambers

Posted April 3rd, 2020 in building law, chambers articles, construction industry, contracts, coronavirus, news by sally

‘This article, the second in a series of three articles, considers the effect of Coronavirus on the contract regimes applicable to NEC forms of contract. Other articles cover JCT terms, and the possible impact of the common law principle of frustration.’

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39 Essex Chambers, 27th March 2020

Source: www.39essex.com

Contracting with Coronavirus: JCT contract terms – 39 Essex Chambers

Posted April 3rd, 2020 in building law, chambers articles, construction industry, contracts, coronavirus, news by sally

‘This article, the first in a series of three articles, considers the effect of Coronavirus on the contract terms applicable to the JCT form of contract. Other articles cover NEC terms, and the possible impact of the common law principle of frustration.’

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39 Essex Chambers, 26th March 2020

Source: www.39essex.com

Check your Email Signatures! – Falcon Chambers

Posted April 1st, 2020 in chambers articles, contracts, electronic filing, electronic mail, Law Commission, news, sale of land by sally

‘As every property practitioner knows, s 2(3) of the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989 (the 1989 Act) requires a contract for the sale or other disposition of land to be ‘signed by or on behalf of each party’. Neocleous v Rees [2019] EWHC 2462 (Ch), [2019] All ER (D) 25 (Oct) was the first occasion on which the court was asked to determine whether an email footer satisfied the requirement for a signature in s 2(3). The issue arose in the context of an alleged compromise agreement between the parties to a property dispute, which was contained in an exchange of emails between their solicitors. Viewed in the wider context of the earlier authorities, and a recent Law Commission report, the decision encourages practitioners to consider how formality requirements in property transactions—and more generally—are now operating in an increasingly digital world.’

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Falcon Chambers, 13th March 2020

Source: www.falcon-chambers.com

C Spencer Limited v M W High Tech Projects UK Limited [2020] EWCA Civ 331 – The relationship between hybrid contracts and valid payment notices – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted March 31st, 2020 in appeals, building law, chambers articles, construction industry, contracts, news by sally

‘The Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 created hybrid contracts, and with that, complications as to the relationship between these contracts and the Act. In the significant case of C Spencer Limited v M W High Tech Projects UK Limited [2020] EWCA Civ 331, Lord Coulson clarifies whether a valid payment notice ought to separately identify the sum due in respect of construction operations.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 26th March 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk