Compact Contract

A brief look at topical issues in contract

20 September 2019 Sykes Mitchell

In Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation v Euler Hermes, an assignment was not effective where a requirement for a confirmation had not been waived in compliance with a “no waiver” provision; but a power of attorney saved the day. As part of a public private partnership scheme for the construction of a waste treatment facility in › Read More

19 September 2019 Senem Cilingiroglu

In Brown v Bray and Sharp, Brown, a minority shareholder, applied for relief under section 994 of the Companies Act 2006, claiming Bray and Sharp, who were majority shareholders, had unfairly prejudiced the company’s affairs by breaching a contractual duty of good faith. The parties were directors as well as shareholders. Eventually, their relationship deteriorated. › Read More

16 September 2019 Claudia Barry

In NHS v Vasant, the Court of Appeal held that a contract had been validly varied and so the NHS could not terminate contractual arrangements under which dentists supplied Intermediate Minor Oral Surgery (IMOS) services. Three dentists supplied general dental services to the NHS each under a GDS contract agreed in 2006. This contained an › Read More

11 September 2019 Briony Langley-Miles

In Zedra Trust Company v The Hut Group, the High Court found that a term could be implied into a share purchase agreement in relation to the provision of an auditors’ report. Zedra had sold the entire issued capital of Cend to The Hut Group. The share purchase agreement contained a mechanism for the seller › Read More

09 September 2019 Godwin Tan

In Ohpen v Invesco, the High Court held that the parties’ contractually agreed alternative dispute resolution procedure operated as a condition precedent to litigation. As a result, court proceedings were stayed to allow mediation to take place. Invesco engaged Ohpen to develop a platform for investments. The contract included a multi-tiered dispute resolution procedure. The › Read More

09 August 2019 Hershil Kotak

In Stobart Group v Stobart and Tinkler, the Court of Appeal clarified the approach to interpreting a unilateral notice given under a contract. Stobart and Tinkler had sold Stobart Rail to Stobart Group under a share purchase agreement which included two related, but distinct, notice provisions about tax: Paragraph 7 required Stobart Group to notify › Read More

08 August 2019 Jason Rix

In FSHC v GLAS Trust, the Court of Appeal has set out a new test for common mistake. The trial judge had found, as a matter of fact, that the parties had a “common continuing intention” to execute a document which satisfied an obligation that FSHC had to grant security over a shareholder loan, and do › Read More

29 July 2019 Samuel Webb

In Bridgehouse v BAE Systems, a termination notice based on a company being dissolved remained effective despite the company being restored to the register. BAE agreed to procure the sale, by one of its subsidiaries, of two airfields for GBP 93m to Bridgehouse. BAE was able to terminate the agreement if Bridgehouse was struck off › Read More

19 July 2019 Senem Cilingiroglu

In Ark Shipping v Silverburn Shipping, the Court of Appeal had to deal with the law school classic: when is a term a condition, the breach of which entitles the innocent party to terminate, and when an innominate term, where the ability to terminate depends on the gravity of its breach? While the case was › Read More

05 July 2019 Laurence Ridgway

In Classic Maritime v Limbungan, the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court and awarded substantial damages for breach even though performance ultimately would not have been possible. Limbungan failed to deliver iron ore to Classic Maritime when a flood shut down the mine producing the ore. The High Court, had held that to rely on › Read More