January 12, 2015 – Locke Lord LLP and Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP have officially merged, creating Locke Lord Edwards, a firm with more than 1,000 lawyers in 23 cities around the world as well as a combined history of more than 125 years.
Read MoreIn Betty Sophia Smith Ferguson and others v J & A Lawson (Joiners) Limited [2014] CSIH 82, Lady Paton of the Court of Session Inner House dismissed an appeal from the defendants, who argued that the Lord Ordinary had erred in law at first instance.
Read MoreIn Versloot Dredging BV v HDI Gerling Industrie Versicherung AG (The DC Merwestone) ([2014] EWCA Civ 1349) the appellant shipowners appealed a decision made on the basis of the fraudulent devices principle discussed obiter in the case of Agapitos v Agnew (The Aegeon) (No.1) ([2002] EWCA Civ 247) that they could not recover losses from the respondent hull and machinery underwriters. The Court of Appeal chose to apply The Aegeon and dismissed the appeal.
Read MoreFollowing the Supreme Court’s determination as to jurisdiction and the Court of Appeal’s ruling on the substantive issues, the case of Starlight Shipping v Allianz Marine ([2014] EWHC 3068 (Comm)) returned to the Commercial Court for two further issues to be decided.
Read MoreOn September 24 2014, The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published the final report in its investigation into the private motor insurance market. The report covers the measures the CMA anticipates taking to increase competition in the car insurance market and reduce the cost of premiums.
Read MoreIn its judgment delivered on 16 July 2014, the Supreme Court decided in FHR European Ventures v Cedar Capital [2104] UKSC 45 that a bribe or secret commission accepted by an agent is held on trust for his principal, rather than the principal merely having a claim for equitable compensation equal to the value of the bribe, thereby upholding the Court of Appeal decision which we blogged on 4 February 2013 (see here).
Read MoreIn the case of Starlight Shipping v Allianz Marine ([2014] EWCA Civ 1010), the appellant shipowners appealed a decision granting summary judgment to the Respondent Insurers for damages and declaratory relief.
Read MoreIn Robin & Barbara Bache and others v Zurich Insurance Plc [2014] EWHC 2430 (TCC), the court was asked to determine a preliminary issue concerning interpretation of a property development policy. The claimants agreed to lease flats yet to be built from a developer, paying a 10% deposit under the agreement. The defendant provided a policy to the developer, for the benefit of the claimants, which stated that “the policy protects you if your developer goes into liquidation…against the loss of contract exchange deposit”.
Read MoreWe have previously reported on the Law Commission and Scottish Law Commissions’ review of insurance contracts law (see our blog here). The Insurance Bill (the Bill), introduced to Parliament on 17 July 2014, contains the latest proposals to revise the law in this area (to view the latest Bill click here).
Read MoreIn Tokio Marine Europe Insurance Limited v Novae Corporate Underwriting Limited [2014] EWHC 2105 (Comm), Mr Justice Field granted an application by Tokio Marine Europe Insurance Limited (Tokio) for summary judgment, holding that a defence raised by Novae Corporate Underwriting Limited (Novae) that the underlying settlement was entered into without the insured having taken all proper and businesslike steps had no reasonable prospect of success.
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