The Lawyer’s Top 20 cases of 2026 was published this week. 10 Essex Court Chambers members feature in four cases.
The cases that members are involved in are as follows:
Siccar Point v Ithaca Energy – Listed in the Commercial Court, 19th January 2026 over four days.
This high-value dispute concerns the sale of oil assets in the North Sea. Back in 2022, Siccar Point sold a significant interest to Ithaca in the rights to extract oil and gas from the Rosebank Field, just off the Shetland Islands. Rosebank is the last major untapped oil and gas field in UK waters, with total production at the site valued at £8bn.
For the claimant, Siccar Point HoldcoFountain Court’s Bankim Thanki KC, and Essex Court’s Emily Wood KC and Peter Webster, instructed by Pallas Partners partner Tracey Dovaston, and associates Rachel Ong, Louise Lau and Kelly Lilas.
Nord Stream AG v Lloyd’s Insurance Company SA and Arch Insurance (Europe) DAC – Listed in High Court, Commercial Court, 20th April 2026 over five weeks.
In September 2022, a series of explosions and subsequent gas leaks were detected from the Nord Stream 1 pipelines on the seabed near Denmark. The pipelines send gas from Vyborg in Russia to Greifswald in Germany via the Baltic Sea. According to reports, three out of the four pipes were damaged. Russia cut off gas supplies via the pipelines about a month before the explosions.
For the claimant, Nord Stream AG Essex Court’s Paul Stanley KC and Benjamin Cartwright, and 7KBW’s Alexander MacDonald, instructed by Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer partners Alexander Oddy and Greig Anderson, senior associate Hamish Hunter, and associates Elinor Richardson, Hannah Warren and Samantha Shanks.
Smit Salvage BV and others v Luster Maritime SA and another – The “Ever Given” – Listed in the Admiralty Court, 13th July 2026 2026 over two weeks.
The salvor of the “Ever Given”, the most high-profile shipping casualty in recent decades, lock horns with the vessel’s owners in this dispute. Container ship “Ever Given” became diagonally stranded in the Suez Canal in March 2021 for six days, causing billions in trade losses when more than 400 vessels had to wait to cross the canal that connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.
For the claimants, Smit Salvage BV Essex Court’s Chris Smith KC and Quadrant Chambers’ Andrew Carruth, instructed by HFW partner Andrew Chamberlain, legal director Jonathan Goulding, senior associate Henry Clack and associate Simon Maxwell.
Crane Bank v DFCU Bank – Listed in High Court, Commercial Court, 1st October 2026 over 12 weeks.
Uganda’s Crane Bank and DFCU Bank are set to face off in the High Court to settle claims concerning unlawful means conspiracy, bribery and dishonest assistance. The claimants are Crane Bank and a group of its shareholders, including Sudhir Ruparelia who controls the Ruparelia Group of companies.
For the defendants, DFCU Bank and DFCU Limited Essex Court’s Joe Smouha KC, Tom Ford and Jackie McArthur, instructed by Freshfields partners Sarah Parkes, Tom Clark, counsel Christina Franzese, and senior associates Molly Lewis and Miryam Farrelly
For the defendants, former DFCU majority shareholder British International Investment and former DFCU director Michael Turner Essex Court’s Ricky Diwan KC and Stephen Donnelly, instructed by Addleshaw Goddard partners Lauren Hamilton and Alex Unger, managing associate Eilidh Cornish, and associates James Byrne, Lucy Walsh, Clare Petrovic, and Holly Robinson.
A full list of the featured cases can be viewed here (via The Lawyer website – subscription needed).
