General News

The High Court has held (Burgess v. Lejonvarn 2016] EWHC 40 (TCC)) that a construction professional can owe a duty of care in negligence even where they had no expectation of payment for the work performed. Considering recent developments in the law of negligence in the construction sector, the Court also held that a duty of care may arise in respect of any special skill that a construction professional exercises on behalf of his client;...

3PB’s Katie Lee looks at a recent judgment in the Court of Appeal dealing with adjudication.  The case concerned an appeal by Harding, a building contractor, against a judgment of the TCC refusing to grant either an injunction or a declaration to prevent an adjudication from going forward. The central issue was whether an earlier adjudication on related matters shut out a new adjudication.

3PB is delighted to announce the appointment of  Adam Feest to Queen’s Counsel. He will be sworn in at a ceremony on 22nd February 2016 and the members and staff of chambers warmly congratulate Adam on his new appointment. Adam is an experienced criminal law advocate who advises and represents clients across the whole spectrum of criminal cases in the Crown Court and Court of Appeal. He acts in cases involving murder and serious violence,...

3PB warmly congratulates Melissa Barlow on her recent appointment as Recorder authorised to hear Public and Family Law cases on the Western Circuit, with effect from 11 January 2016. With over 20 years experience in family law,  Melissa acts for Local Authorities, parents, Guardians, children and prospective special guardians and adopters. She is one of 3PB's senior family law barristers and chambers wishes her well with her new appointment  

Louis Weston, Head of 3PB's Sport Law Group, represented the BHA in the successful prosecution and in resisting the appeal in the hire racing corruption case surround AD VITAM.  The case involved allegations of corruption against a jockey, owner and bettors and led to penalties on the principal participant of an 8 year disqualification.  The case is widely reported in the racing and national press and followed a 7 day hearing before the BHA's Disciplinary...

The Chancery Division has recently considered what the effect of paying the wrong court fee is, on limitation. Claimants’ solicitors need to be aware that an understatement of the claim amount, and payment of the wrong fee, may render the claim form invalid. The effect might then be that limitation continues to run until the error is corrected. Gavin Hamilton (Call 1979) provides a legal analysis of the judgment. He is a Commercial Law barrister...

3PB joined other Oxford businesses Blake Morgan solicitors, AECOM (Abingdon construction consultants) OUP (Oxford University Press), Thames Water and Oxford Architects, in buying Christmas presents for children in need. Local Social Services in Oxford identified disadvantaged young people who would benefit from a gift and over 160 presents were given out during the Christmas period. 3PB barristers and staff who took part were Ed Ross, Andrew MacPhail, Elaine Strachan, Emma Griffiths, Joshua Dubin, Tom Tyler, James...

Oliver Powell and Sunyana Sharma acted for interested parties in the inquest touching the death of Ranyodh Singh.  Oliver Powell (instructed by Blake Morgan) appeared for IKO Design Ltd and Sunyana Sharma (instructed by Shoosmiths) appeared on behalf of an employee of the company. After hearing 3 days of evidence, the jury concluded that the death was one of misadventure. The 3PB Public and Regulatory Group continues to lead the way in regulatory law. For...

In a long running and emotionally charged case, Joe England successfully represented a school caretaker who was unfairly dismissed and the victim of sex discrimination. In the latest chapter of the case and following a successful appeal earlier this year, Mr England last week successfully gained an increase in the compensatory award from £1135 (rounded) to over £60,000. The male school caretaker was dismissed for allegations loosely based on ‘crossing professional boundaries’ in relation to...

Can a claimant invite the court, instead of granting a freezing injunction, to make a simple injunction requiring the defendant to notify him before he transfers an asset? If so, does he need to satisfy the same test as for a freezing injunction? Carl Brewin (Call 2006) analyses Holyoake v. Candy [2016] EWHC 970 (Ch), in which the issue was recently considered. Carl is a Commercial Law barrister who specialises in business disputes relating to...

The High Court has handed down judgment in the case of Pineport v Grangeglen [2016] EWHC 1318 (Ch), which concerns the circumstances in which the High Court may exercise its inherent equitable jurisdiction to grant relief from forfeiture for non-payment of rent.  The delay in the tenant applying for relief (some 14 months after the lease was forfeited by peaceable re-entry) was one of the longest periods in which a tenant had asked the court...