On 12 February 2025, the Court of Appeal handed down judgment ([2025] EWCA Civ 108) in the long-running enforcement proceedings brought by the former shareholders of Yukos (“the Claimants”) against the Russian Federation in respect of three 2014 arbitral awards worth more than US$50 billion plus interest. The Hague Court of Appeal and the Dutch […]
News & publications
72 Members of Essex Court Chambers have received rankings in the 2025 edition of the Chambers Global Guide following its release. Members have been ranked in 6 jurisdictions including the Asia-Pacific, Belize, Middle East-wide, Singapore, UK, and Europe, and are ranked across 9 practice areas including International Arbitration, Public International Law, Commercial Dispute Resolution, Commercial […]
In a judgment handed down on 30 January 2025 in Geminis Investors Limited v (1) Goods Technology Starting Internal Limited and (2) G-Force Int’l Co Ltd, the Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean (sitting in the Virgin Islands) rejected a consolidated appeal against decisions of the BVI Commercial Court to reject an application to set […]
Shell plc v Vereniging Milieudefensie Author: Francis Cardell-Oliver Click to Download PDF The decision On 12 November 2024, the Hague Court of Appeal handed down its judgment in Shell plc v Vereniging Milieudefensie, reversing an order of the Hague District Court requiring Shell plc (and through it, the broader Shell group) to reduce its greenhouse […]
The Lawyer’s Hot 100 2025 has been published and features Essex Court’s, Joe Smouha KC. Joe is credited for his acting as lead counsel for the Republic of Mozambique in the “Tuna Bond” litigation. In 2025, Joe is in the Commercial Court from March on the year-long PIFSS trial, representing the Man Group. He has […]
On 16 January 2025, an ICSID tribunal dismissed a group claim against Romania brought by 44 European and Asian solar investors under the Energy Charter Treaty (Fin. Doc S.r.l and others v Romania ICSID Case No Arb/20/35). In its final award the Tribunal dismissed all the claim on the merits, finding that Romania’s changes to […]
His Majesty The King on the advice of the Lord Chancellor following consideration by the independent KCA Selection Panel has announced the results of the King’s Counsel appointments today. Five members of Essex Court Chambers have been appointed: Tariq Baloch, Jane Russell, Ciaran Keller, David Walsh, and Anton Dudnikov. Everyone at Essex Court Chambers warmly congratulates […]
On 22 January 2025, Mr Justice Henshaw handed down judgment in Arcadia v Bosworth, Hurley & Kelbrick [2025] EWHC 91 (Comm) dismissing all of the claims after a 10-week trial during May-July 2024. The action was commenced 10 years ago and is understood to be one of the longest-running cases in the Commercial Court. The […]
In a judgment handed down on 22 January 2025 in Google LLC & Google Ireland Limited v. NAO Tsargrad Media & others [2025] EWHC 94 (Comm), Mr Justice Henshaw upheld claims for final anti-enforcement (and ancillary anti-anti-suit) injunctive relief against three Russian-domiciled defendants after an expedited trial of four actions commenced in mid-August 2024. Google’s […]
In a judgment handed down on 17 January 2025 in Djanogly v Djanogly, Mr Justice Miles: (i) found that Beth Din proceedings are subject to mandatory provisions of the Arbitration Act 1996; (ii) the Beth Din’s failure to address a limitation defence in an arbitral award constituted a serious procedural irregularity; but (iii) rejected other […]
The Downstream Effects of Finch Author: Joshua Kimblin Click to Download PDF This is the second blog post in a series which summarises the major developments in climate litigation in 2024, both in the United Kingdom and worldwide. Background In September 2019, planning permission was granted to expand oil production from a well in Surrey. […]
Delivery Risk and Legal Challenges to the United Kingdom’s Carbon Budget Delivery Plan Authors: Joshua Kimblin Click to Download PDF This is the first blog post in a series which summarises the major developments in climate litigation in 2024, both in the United Kingdom and worldwide. In May 2024, Mr Justice Sheldon held that the […]
