On 20 June 2025, Mrs Justice May DBE handed down judgment following a preliminary issues trial in respect of claims alleging damage to the Niger Delta from oil pollution: Alame & ors. v. Shell Plc [2025] EWHC 1539 (KB). The judgment addresses the applicable principles of Nigerian law governing such claims. The claims are brought […]
News & publications
Essex Court Chambers are delighted to have been shortlisted in 19 categories for The Legal 500 Bar Awards 2025, including 10 individual nominations for members of Chambers. Members: Employment Silk of the year – Daniel Oudkerk KC Financial services and insurance – James Sheehan KC International arbitration counsel Silk of the year – Paul Key KC […]
On 5 June 2025, Mr Justice Foxton gave judgment in JP Morgan Securities Plc v VTB Bank PJSC. The full judgment is available here. Louise Hutton KC and Akash Sonecha of Essex Court Chambers appeared for the claimants, instructed by Satindar Dogra, Michael Munk, Matthew Bunnage and Lisa Mearns of Linklaters LLP.
The Court of Appeal has handed down judgment ([2025] EWCA Civ 715) following a two-day rolled-up oral application for permission to appeal on behalf of Mr Seamus Andrew, a solicitor. Mr Andrew sought the removal of critical findings made of his conduct and evidence contained in the judgment of Mr Justice Knowles in Federal Republic of Nigeria […]
Essex Court Chambers is looking for individuals with significant expertise and experience in the field of public international law who are established academics holding university positions and/or those with a long-term background in government or a relevant international organisation. Applicants will need to be able to demonstrate that they have, or will be able to develop, […]
On Tuesday 3 June 2025, Charles Hollander KC, sitting as a Deputy Judge of the Commercial Court, handed down judgment in favour of the English administrators of VTB Capital, dismissing the claimants’ claims for damages in excess of US$800 million (Gerasimenko v. VTB Capital Plc [2025] EWHC 1333 (Comm)). The claimants were the former owners […]
On 13 May 2025, an Appeals Committee of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association issued its decision in respect of an appeal by Mark King. On 7 November 2024, a Disciplinary Committee of the WPBSA found Mr King guilty of one count of match fixing and one count of providing inside information on his […]
On 8 May 2025 the Court of Appeal (King LJ, Asplin LJ and Males LJ) handed down judgment in Vatistas (appellant) v Betta Oceanway and Tomini (Respondents) [2025] EWCA 595. The Court of Appeal allowed an appeal from an order rejecting Mr Vatistas’s application to be joined as a defendant in the proceedings brought by […]
Hugh Mercer KC and Sam Wordsworth KC are on a shortlist of 3 candidates for election as the next UK judge of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) to succeed Tim Eicke KC. Deok Joo Rhee KC of 39 Essex Chambers is the third UK nominated candidate. The ECtHR is established under the European […]
In January 2025, Mr Justice Henshaw handed down judgment dismissing a $325m fraud claim which had been commenced 10 years ago. In February 2025, the freezing injunctions that had been made against the Defendants in 2015 were discharged and the Court directed that the Claimants’ cross-undertakings in damages be enforced and there be an inquiry […]
The Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) has announced new members to the SIAC Court of Arbitration. Lucas Bastin KC was one of eleven new Court Members appointed for the 2025 to 2027 term. The SIAC was established in 1991 as an independent, not-for-profit organisation. The SIAC has a proven track record in providing neutral arbitration services […]
Benedict Tompkins has written an article published in the February 2025 issue of the Journal of International Banking and Financial Law, which considers the Loan Market Association’s standard sovereign immunity clause in light of recent case law and practice on enforcement against sovereign States. The article focuses on both judgment debts and award debts, and […]
