The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases for 2025

The Lawyer’s Top 20 cases of 2025 was recently published, and 14 members feature in six cases. The cases that members are involved in are as follows:

The Public Institution for Social Security v Al Rajaan and others

The Public Institution for Social Security (of Kuwait) has sued numerous defendants including its former Director General, Fahad Al-Rajaan for allegedly taking unlawful bribes over his 30-year tenure of an approximately £1.2bn fraud claim in return for placing investments.

This is currently the largest fraud case being dealt with by the Commercial Court and is listed for a 12-month trial commencing in March 2025.

For the claimant, The Public Institution For Social Security (PIFSS) – Essex Court’s Anna Dilnot KC, Mark Belshaw and Joshua Kimblin.

For the 15th to 18th defendants, Man Group and related entities – Essex Court’s Joe Smouha KC, James Collins KC, Felix Wardle and Freddie Onslow.

NMC Health (in administration) v Ernst & Young

Proceedings brought by the administrators of NMC for $2.7bn for professional negligence. NMC alleges Ernst & Young failed to flag a multi-billion-dollar fraud at the FTSE 100 group, which included more than $4bn of debt hidden on its balance sheet.

A 13-week trial is listed in the Commercial Court for May 2025.

For the defendant, Ernst & Young – Essex Court’s Katherine Ratcliffe.

R (on the application of Al-Haq) v Secretary of State for Business and Trade

UK Government policy requires that licenses to export arms be suspended/revoked if there is a clear risk they will be used to violate international humanitarian law, or if their export would violate the UK’s international legal obligations. After the Israeli military started operations in Gaza in October 2023, the UK Government kept licensing arms exports to Israel until September 2024. Al-Haq, a Palestinian NGO, made a judicial review claim in the English courts arguing that UK-made arms are being used to breach international law, including to commit genocide.

This case will be listed in the High Court.

For the respondent, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade – Essex Court’s Jessica Wells and Jackie McArthur.

For the intervener, Oxfam – Essex Court’s Sean Aughey.

Jinxin Inc v Aser Media, Media Partners and Silva, Marco Auletta, Riccardo Silva Holding Designated Activity, Riccardo Silva and Andrea Radrizzani

A series of defendants are alleged to have made material misrepresentations in the sale of a sports media rights company to a Chinese corporation. The misrepresentations are alleged to concern the obtaining of rights to broadcast Serie A and FIFA matches by bribery and corruption, and also as to the EBITDA of the company sold.

This 16-week trial is set down for hearing in the Commercial Court in June 2025.

For the defendant, Media Partners & Silva LLC – Essex Court’s Ruth den Besten KC.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care v PPE Medpro

This dispute between the Department of Health and Social Care and a company called PPE Medpro regarding PPE equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Government seeking more than £100m from defendant PPE Medpro.

A four-week hearing is listed in the Commercial Court for June 2025.

For the claimant, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care – Essex Court’s Paul Stanley KC.

The Pan-NOx Emissions Group Litigation (Dieselgate)

The Pan-NOx Emissions Group Litigation is the culmination of the Dieselgate story, which broke in late 2016. The High Court group action comprises over 1.2 million claimants and the total alleged damages are more than £6bn. It is alleged that diesel vehicles sold in the UK by 19 separate car manufacturers contained “prohibited defeat devices” (PDDs), which reduce the effectiveness of emission control systems.