One Essex Court is delighted that 14 members of chambers are involved across 7 of the cases featured in The Lawyer’s recently published Top 20 Cases of 2022.
A summary of those cases are, as follows:
Vatche Manoukian v Société Générale Banque Liban
In this February 2022 trial, the claimant, Vatche Manoukian, alleges that the Lebanese branch of Societe Generale is withholding funds from one of his accounts. The allegations against Societe Generale include corruption. Daniel Toledano QC leads the counsel team representing the claimant, instructed by Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner.
Lonestar Communications v Kaye and Ors
This three-week trial in the Commercial Court, scheduled for February 2022, will see three telecoms companies battle against each other. Liberian telecoms company Lonestar claims it fell victim to a number of cyber attacks and as a result, suffered damages, causing a drop in the business value and a loss of profits. The case includes claims of conspiracy and unlawful interference. Neil Kitchener QC and Andrew Lodder represent Orange Liberia, instructed by Norton Rose Fulbright. Sonia Tolaney QC, Tim Goldfarb and Ben Zelenka Martin were acting for Cellcom Telecommunications, instructed by Signature Litigation.
Phones4U v EE and others
In these proceedings, listed for 10 weeks in May 2022, former retailer Phones4U’s estate will challenge several of the major mobile network operators over an alleged anti-competitive breach of contract. The dispute concerns an allegation that O2, Vodafone and EE withdrew supplies from Phones4U in 2014 and entered into an exclusive deal with Carphone Warehouse. Phones4U fell into administration that year, having previously been valued at £1bn. Kenneth MacLean QC, Owain Draper, Gideon Cohen and Stephanie Wood will appear for Phones4U, instructed by Quinn Emanuel.
JSC Commercial Bank Privatbank v Kolomoisky & Others
Listed for up to 13 weeks from the beginning of June 2022, the trial in this long-running and high profile fraud claim, concerns allegations that the defendants conspired to misappropriate c.US$2 billion from Ukrainian bank, Privatbank. Alyssa Stansbury is part of the counsel team representing the second defendant, Gennadiy Bogolyubov instructed by Enyo Law.
AstraZeneca v GlaxoSmithKline
Conall Patton QC will form part of the counsel team representing GlaxoSmithKline, instructed by Linklaters, when this hearing reaches the Chancery Division later this year. The dispute concerns the global royalties from the cancer drug Zejula, and the licensing of earlier patents, some of which were developed by AstraZeneca, that led GlaxoSmithKline to produce Zejula.
Suppipat v Narongdej and 16 ors
This $2bn high-profile Commercial Court claim, listed in October 2022 for 17 weeks, will focus on allegations of fraud against Thai businessman and Wind Energy Holding former manager Nop Narongdej, along with several other entities and individuals. James Petkovic acts for Golden Music Limited, instructed by CMS.
Maroil Trading Inc and others v Cally Shipholdings and others v Burford Capital (UK)
Listed for eight to nine weeks in the Commercial Court in October 2022, this is the latest claim in a long-running dispute between the parties, which arose more than a decade ago when a group of companies led by Cally Shipholdings brought an action against the owner of Maroil Trading, Wilmer Ruperti, alleging the taking of secret profits. Sonia Tolaney QC and James Ruddell are acting for the first and second named third parties, Burford Capital and Daniel Hall, instructed by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.
The full list of featured cases can be seen here.