Sanctioned company has “right to access courts”, appeal judges rule – Legal Futures

Posted October 10th, 2023 in brexit, costs, freezing injunctions, news, Russia, sanctions, stay of proceedings by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has rejected a Russian tycoon’s bid to stay an $850m claim brought against him by two Russian banks, despite one of them being sanctioned, citing the right to access the courts.’

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Legal Futures, 9th October 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘Court rent accounts’, McKenzie Friends and allegedly inducing breach of contract. – Nearly Legal

Posted August 10th, 2023 in contracts, freezing injunctions, McKenzie friends, news, rent, repossession by tracey

‘Katrina McCarthy was apparently acting as a McKenzie Friend for a Notting Hill Genesis tenant. Notting Hill assert that in the course of “assisting” the tenant, Katrina McCarthy “induced the tenant to start paying his rent directly into her own bank account. She had represented to the tenant that she would then transfer the funds into a “court rent account” so that he could “offset” his rent whilst a disrepair dispute with Notting Hill was resolved.” ‘

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Nearly Legal, 9th August 2023

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Freezing injunctions are permitted without an underlying cause of action, rules Privy Council – Littleton Chambers

‘On 4 October 2021, Privy Council handed down a landmark judgment in Convoy Collateral Ltd v Broad Idea International Ltd and Cho Kwai Chee [2021] UKPC 24. Lord Leggatt’s majority judgment provides the first comprehensive legal foundation for freezing and interim injunctions, and removes many of the restrictions imposed on injunctions by previous cases.’

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Littleton Chambers, 7th October 2021

Source: littletonchambers.com

Businessman sues police for alleged misconduct after £1.6m in assets frozen – The Independent

Posted March 31st, 2021 in fraud, freezing injunctions, misfeasance in public office, news, police by tracey

‘An international businessman is suing a British police force for alleged misconduct in the handling of a case against him, in what has been described as one of the biggest legal actions of its kind in this country. Ildar Sharipov, the owner of an international currency business, began proceedings against Merseyside Police after £1.6m in his UK bank accounts was frozen in an investigation about the sales of two cars, a plane ticket to Nigeria and a number of investments.’

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The Independent, 30th March 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Cryptoassets – Obtaining English Freezing and Proprietary Injunctions in Relation to Cyberfraud – Littleton Chambers

‘The theft and misappropriation of cryptoassets, typically Bitcoin, Ethereum and other virtual cryptocurrencies, by fraudsters is becoming increasingly common, and thus the subject-matter of civil fraud litigation. This article considers how parties can obtain the “nuclear weapon” of the worldwide proprietary or freezing order against cryptoassets.’

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Littleton Chambers, 13th October 2020

Source: littletonchambers.com

The costs of freezing order applications – Littleton Chambers

Posted October 28th, 2020 in chambers articles, costs, freezing injunctions, injunctions, news by sally

‘The question of what costs order should follow the grant of interim injunctive relief is of obvious practical significance to parties. While costs will generally be awarded against the applicant if interim relief is refused, the costs position after a grant of relief is far less predictable. Cases can be found where judges have made costs orders against respondents, or where costs issues have been deferred until trial. Most turn on their own facts and procedural histories.’

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Littleton Chambers, 21st October 2020

Source: littletonchambers.com

Wife in one of Britain’s largest-ever divorce cases succeeds in latest enforcement action against her former husband – Family Law

‘In this article, we look at the recent decision in the ongoing and highly publicised divorce case of Akhmedova v Akhmedov. This decision is the latest in a long run of enforcement cases brought by the wife against her former husband, who, in 2016, was ordered to pay her one of the largest reported financial settlements in England. While the judge was critical of the husband’s reorganisation of his assets to put and keep them beyond the wife’s reach, this is not the end of the road for this case. This judgment is simply another stepping-stone towards the wife realising the award she is entitled to.’

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Family Law, 11th March 2020

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Privatbank v Kolomoisky and ors – Blackstone Chambers

Posted October 29th, 2019 in enforcement, freezing injunctions, joinder, judgments, jurisdiction, news by sally

‘The case concerns an alleged scheme perpetrated by the defendants to misappropriate c. US$2 billion from the Bank. The Bank alleged that the scheme was orchestrated by Ds 1 and 2, Ukrainian “oligarchs” domiciled in Switzerland, with the assistance of English and BVI companies through which the Bank alleged that misappropriated monies were laundered. The Bank sued Ds 1 and 2 and the BVI companies in England, using the English companies as “anchor defendants”. It sought, and was granted by Nugee J, a Worldwide Freezing Order in the amount of US$2.6 billion.’

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Blackstone Chambers, 22nd October 2019

Source: www.blackstonechambers.com

Legal Expenses and Variations for Living Expenses in Account Freezing Orders (AFOS) – Drystone Chambers

Posted October 29th, 2019 in expenses, fees, freezing injunctions, news, proceeds of crime by sally

‘This article will deal with how to withdraw legal and living expenses from an Account Freezing Order (‘AFO’). Like all freezing or restraint proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (‘POCA’), living expenses can be paid from the account where they are reasonable and continue the current lifestyle of the owner of the account.’

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Drystone Chambers, October 2019

Source: drystone.com

Imprisoned former LiP fails Denton test over appeal four months late – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Lawyers have become used to running the gauntlet of the Denton test for relief from sanctions – but now the yardstick for out-of-time applications has resulted in a litigant staying behind bars.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 22nd October 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

The duty of full and frank disclosure in worldwide freezing orders and service out applications (Tugushev v Orlov (No. 2)) – Hardwicke Chambers

‘The most recent episode in litigation between two Russian Oligarch involving an application to set aside a World-wide Freezing Order (“WFO”) and permission for service out of jurisdiction (“Service Out Order”) for failures in the duty of full and frank disclosure (“the Full and Frank Duty”).’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 9th August 2019

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

High Court allows cross examination of Defendant on a worldwide freezing order concerning asset disclosure – No. 5 Chambers

Posted August 29th, 2019 in cross-examination, disclosure, freezing injunctions, news by sally

‘On 27 June 2019 in the English High Court in Kazakhstan Kagazy Plc & 5 Others v Baglan Abdullayevich Zhunus & Others [2019] EWHC 1693 (Comm) 2019 WL 02746548; the High Court re-examined the principles on which a Defendant can be cross-examined on their assets where there had been a disclosure order pursuant to a worldwide freezing order (‘WFO’).’

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No. 5 Chambers, 1st August 2019

Source: www.no5.com

Koza Ltd & Anor v Akcil & Ors [2019] EWCA Civ 891 – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted July 3rd, 2019 in company directors, expenses, freezing injunctions, news, undertakings by sally

‘The first Appellant/Claimant (‘Koza Ltd’) was a company incorporated in England and Wales, of which the Second Appellant/Claimant, ‘Mr Ipek’ was sole director. Koza Ltd was incorporated in March 2014 and capitalised with £60 million provided by the Respondent/Defendant (“Koza Altin”), its parent and 100% owner, to undertake mining operations outside Turkey.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 27th June 2019

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Costs ‘disproportionately high’ in Russian oligarch battle – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 18th, 2018 in costs, freezing injunctions, jurisdiction, law firms, news, proportionality by sally

‘City firm Macfarlanes ‘hampered’ the court by failing to provide a clear breakdown of costs, a judge has ruled in the latest development of a billion-pound battle for control of a global fishing company.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 17th December 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

£7m win for Chinese company in first ‘persons unknown’ freezing order – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 27th, 2018 in computer crime, costs, damages, freezing injunctions, news by tracey

‘The High Court has awarded the UK arm of natural resources company China Molybdenum Company (CMOC) £7m, in a case in which a worldwide freezing injunction against “persons unknown” was approved for the first time.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 26th September 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Extensions of Moratorium Periods and How it Can Be Challenged – Drystone Chambers

Posted August 9th, 2018 in freezing injunctions, news, proceeds of crime, time limits by sally

‘The NCA now have the power to extend the moratorium period on Suspected Activity Reports (SAR) by 31 days, up to a total of 186 days. This is due to the amendment of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (‘the Act’), by the Criminal Finance Act 2017. It is usually clear to an interested party when this is happening, due to delay from the banks in releasing their money. The banks cannot confirm this due to the tipping off provisions.’

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Drystone Chambers, July 2018

Source: drystone.com

High Court hosts new mega-money Russian dispute – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 7th, 2018 in choice of forum, freezing injunctions, news, Russia by sally

‘Another high-profile foreign dispute, this time related to a stake in a Russian fishing company valued at more than a billion pounds, has opened in the High Court – though the relevance of England and Wales as a jurisdiction has again been called into question.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 7th August 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

The CoA finds that a bank was contractually entitled to comply with foreign court orders – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 27th, 2018 in banking, contracts, foreign jurisdictions, freezing injunctions, news by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal (CoA) has dismissed an appeal in which the Republic of Kazakhstan (RoK) and its national bank argued that their custodian bank, Bank of New York Mellon (BNYM), had acted in breach of contract by freezing their assets in accordance with foreign court orders.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 26th June 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

Delayed service sufficient to strike out freezing orders – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 17th, 2018 in appeals, banking, delay, documents, freezing injunctions, news, striking out by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has upheld a decision to strike out freezing orders granted on behalf of French bank Société Générale (SocGen), after finding that the bank had taken too long to issue the relevant claim forms.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 16th May 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

Cash flow tensions in adjudication enforcement – Practical Law: Construction Blog

‘Much has been written about Fraser J’s judgment in Gosvenor London Ltd v Aygun Aluminium UK Ltd, with both Tim Sampson and Abdul Jinadu discussing various issues on this blog. What I thought was interesting about the judgment was how it illustrates the tension between adjudication and the principle embodied within it of keeping cash flowing, and how a successful challenge on enforcement may stop it. Ironically, this is often at a time when a party most needs cash to keep flowing.’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 24th April 2018

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com