The law applicable to an arbitration agreement: Part 1 of our analysis of Enka v OOO Insurance – Hardwicke Chambers

‘In the eagerly awaited judgment in Enka Insaat Ve Sanayi AS v OOO Insurance Company Chubb [2020] UKSC 38, the Supreme Court finally settled an important issue in the law of arbitration that has long divided the authorities and commentary: in the absence of a choice by the parties, where the law applicable to the main contract differs from that of the seat, it is the law of the seat that governs the validity and scope of the arbitration agreement. Our Overview on the decision sets out the key holdings; Part I (below) of our commentary on the decision examines the reasoning of the Majority in greater depth.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 2nd December 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

International community “will see Halliburton ruling as protecting Bar” – Litigation Futures

‘The Supreme Court’s decision not to remove a QC from an arbitration will reinforce the international perception that members of the English Bar are being protected, a solicitor has claimed.’

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Litigation Futures, 30th November 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

New Judgment: Halliburton Company v Chubb Bermuda Insurance Ltd (Formerly known as Ace Bermuda Insurance Ltd) [2020] UKSC 48 – UKSC Blog

‘The Supreme Court has unanimously dismissed this appeal addressing when an arbitrator should make disclosure of circumstances which may give rise to justifiable doubts as to his impartiality.’

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UKSC Blog, 27th November 2020

Source: ukscblog.com

Successful insurers’ A1P1 claim concerning benefits reimbursement in asbestos claims – UK Human Rights Blog

‘R (o.t.a of Aviva & Swiss Re) v. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2020] EWHC 3118 (Admin). At first sight, a rather abstruse dispute, but the 63 page judgment of Henshaw J gives rise to a host of important and difficult human rights points. But his central conclusion is that a statute which was not challengeable at the time of its enactment became so, because of the subsequent evolution of the law, principally common law, to the detriment of insurers.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 25th November 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Rashid v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police [2020] EWHC 2522 (QB), [2020] All ER (D) 02 (Oct) – Parklane Plowden Chambers

Posted November 19th, 2020 in accidents, evidence, insurance, necessity, news, police, road traffic, wrongful arrest by sally

‘The court held that whereas reasonable grounds for suspecting someone has committed an offence sets a low evidential hurdle, the second requirement for an arrest to be lawful (for the Police to prove that there were reasonable grounds to believe the arrest was “necessary”) sets a comparatively high evidential hurdle and the police could not objectively evidence that the arrest was “necessary” when the GP would have been prepared to voluntarily attend the police station and the reasons given by the Police for the “necessity” of arresting the GP were baseless.’

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Parklane Plowden Chambers, 11th November 2020

Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk

Comparethemarket fined £17.9m by competition watchdog – The Guardian

Posted November 19th, 2020 in compensation, contracts, fines, insurance, internet, news by sally

‘The competition watchdog has imposed a £17.9m fine on price comparison site Comparethemarket.com after it found that clauses in its contracts with home insurers broke competition law.’

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The Guardian, 19th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Claimant lawyers urge Lord Chief to step in on whiplash reforms – Legal Futures

‘Claimant personal injury lawyers have turned to the Lord Chief Justice to support an urgent review of the government’s proposed tariff of damages for next April’s whiplash reforms.’

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Legal Futures, 18th November 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

FCA v Arch and Others [2020] EWHC 2448 (Comm): COVID-19 business interruption insurance – 12 King’s Bench Walk

Posted November 17th, 2020 in causation, contracts, coronavirus, financial regulation, indemnities, insurance, news by sally

‘The coronavirus pandemic has led to ongoing widespread business disruption and closures with a second national lockdown commencing this week. As such, certainty over whether business can bring claims under their business interruption (“BI”) insurance policies could not be more important.’

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12 King's Bench Walk, 2nd November 2020

Source: www.12kbw.co.uk

Supreme court case looms as insurers battle firms over Covid cover – The Guardian

‘Eight months since the UK coronavirus lockdown forced the temporary closures of restaurants, bars, shops, hairdressers and other small businesses, thousands who are still awaiting payouts from their insurers to cover lost income will hope a supreme court hearing will result in a ruling that favours about 200,000 policyholders.’

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The Guardian, 16th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Insurer fails in aggregation argument over partner’s multi-million pound thefts – Legal Futures

‘The High Court has refused to aggregate as one claim various actions a Yorkshire law firm’s indemnity insurer is facing because of a multi-million pound fraud run by one of its partners.’

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Legal Futures, 4th November 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Enka v. Chubb in the Supreme Court: Which Law is it Anyway? – 4 New Square

‘Where the law governing a contract containing an arbitration agreement differs from the law of the nominated “seat” of the arbitration, which law – absent any express choice – governs the arbitration agreement itself? That was the question that the Supreme Court had to grapple with in Enka Insaat Ve Sanayi AS v. OOO Insurance Company Chubb [2020] UKSC 38, in which judgment was handed down on 9 October 2020. George Spalton and Ian McDonald of 4 New Square consider the decision.’

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4 New Square, 14th October 2020

Source: www.4newsquare.com

Causation in insurance law – a new interpretation? – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted October 30th, 2020 in causation, chambers articles, insurance, interpretation, news by sally

‘The High Court in Financial Conduct Authority v Arch Insurance (UK) Ltd [2020] EWHC 2448 (Comm) have provided much needed guidance on business interruption insurance. Within the judgment was analysis on the law of causation for insurance policies. The decision may be perceived as, at best, widening the approach when undertaking the “but for” test, or at least providing much needed clarity to the test.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 6th October 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

A higher test of necessity for arrest? – UK Police Law Blog

‘In Rashid v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire [2020] EWHC 2522 (QB) the High Court (Lavender J) has allowed an appeal against a Recorder’s decision to dismiss a general practitioner’s claim for wrongful arrest, on the basis that the officers involved lacked reasonable grounds for believing the arrest was necessary. It follows recent cases in articulating a higher bar for the police to show reasonable grounds for necessity to arrest than perhaps had been thought to apply. It also raises interesting arguments about whether any other defences, such as the “Lumba/Parker” issue or ex turpi causa (the defence of illegality) might be available where an arrest has been unlawful.’

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UK Police Law Blog, 27th October 2020

Source: ukpolicelawblog.com

Implication and imputation; the Supreme Court’s decision in Enka – Six Pump Court

‘This article considers some of the particular aspects in the recent Supreme Court decision of Enka Insaat Ve Sanayi v OOO Insurance Company Chubb & Others [2020] UKSC 38. In particular it looks at the significance of the distinction between implication of agreement through application of ordinary contractual principles and imputation of terms by the application of conflict of law provisions contained in the Rome I Regulation or as established by the common law.’

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Six Pump Court, 20th October 2020

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

Court orders costs repayment after client did not consent to deduction – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Fee-recovery lawyers say millions of clients could stand to benefit from a court judgment which reduced legal fees deducted from compensation.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 19th October 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Number of motor claims stays low over last three months – Litigation Futures

Posted October 21st, 2020 in accidents, compensation, insurance, news, personal injuries, road traffic, statistics by sally

‘The collapse in new motor injury claims seen during lockdown continued in the following three months, despite more cars returning to the road.’

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Litigation Futures, 20th October 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

New Judgment: Enka Insaat Ve Sanayi A.S. v OOO Insurance Company Chubb [2020] UKSC 38 – UKSC Blog

‘The central issue on this appeal is how the governing law of an arbitration agreement is to be determined when the law applicable to the contract containing it differs from the law of the “seat” of the arbitration, the place chosen for the arbitration in the arbitration agreement.’

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UKSC Blog, 9th October 2020

Source: ukscblog.com

Successful adjudication enforcement in favour of an insolvent company – Practical Law: Construction Blog

‘Hot on the heels of the Supreme Court’s decision in Bresco Electrical Services Ltd v Michael J Lonsdale (Electrical) Ltd, in what may be the first summary judgment to enforce an adjudicator’s decision in favour of a party in administration, we have successfully represented the claimant in Styles and Wood Ltd (in administration) (S&W) v GE CIF Trustees Ltd.’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 1st October 2020

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

Insurers’ decision to appeal Covid insurance test case “disgraceful” – Litigation Futures

Posted October 6th, 2020 in coronavirus, financial regulation, insurance, law firms, news by tracey

‘A law firm at the forefront of the business interruption insurance test case has described insurers’ decision to appeal the High Court ruling as “disgraceful”.’

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Litigation Futures, 5th October 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Solicitor who raided client’s estate to pay debts is struck off – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor who used £100,000 from a client’s estate to pay debts to HM Revenue & Customs and an indemnity insurer before closing his firm has been struck off.’

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Legal Futures, 16th September 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk