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Law360, London (May 1, 2020, 5:42 PM BST ) The past week in London has seen Clifford Chance sue Duet Private Equity, an offshore asset manager add to the legal woes of Ocado's co-founder and nearly three dozen small businesses sue Worldpay months after the payment processor settled overcharging allegations in the U.S.
Here, Law360 looks at those and other new claims in the U.K.
Financial Services
IS Prime Ltd. v. TF Global Markets (UK) Ltd. and others
Financial broker IS Prime Ltd. filed a commercial contract claim against foreign exchange and commodities brokerage TF Global Markets, which runs as ThinkMarkets, on April 30.
IS Prime is represented by Harbottle & Lewis LLP. TF Global Markets is represented by Stephenson Harwood LLP.
The case is IS Prime Ltd. v. TF Global Markets (UK) Ltd. and others, case number CL-2020-000264, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
Kapoor v. Mizuho International PLC
Sawan Sandeep Kumar Kapoor, a consultant at Esprit De Fortuna Ltd., which is listed as a management consultancy, filed a misrepresentation claim against Mizuho International PLC, the London-based arm of the securities and investment banking group.
Kapoor is representing himself.
The case is Kapoor v. Mizuho International PLC, case number QB-2020-001520, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
Alfa Financial Software Ltd. and another v. Mayes and others
Asset management software company Alfa filed a breach of contract claim against a handful of former executives, including former managing director Michael Mayes, on April 29. Mayes and the co-defendants left Alfa in 2019 and started a new fintech company called Finaptix, according to press reports.
Alfa is represented by Stewarts. The defendants are represented by Ashfords LLP.
The case is Alfa Financial Software Ltd. and another v. Mayes and others, case number QB-2020-001517, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
TransAsia Private Capital Ltd. and others v. Phoenix Global DMCC
Hong Kong asset manager TransAsia Private Capital Ltd. and a handful of trade finance funds filed a general commercial contract claim against a Dubai-based agricultural trader, Phoenix Global DMCC, on April 29. The lawsuit also names Phoenix's chief executive, Gaurav Dhawan.
TransAsia is represented by Campbell Johnston Clark Ltd.
The case is TransAsia Private Capital Ltd. and others v. Phoenix Global DMCC, case number CL-2020-000257, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
Edinburgh Financial & General Holdings Ltd. v. Manx Capital Partners Ltd. and another
Scottish financial services company Edinburgh Financial & General Holdings Ltd. filed a commercial contract claim against Manx Capital Partners Ltd. and RBOS Shareholders Action Group Ltd. on April 29 in the commercial court in London. Manx has financed a lawsuit on behalf of shareholders suing the Royal Bank of Scotland over a government bailout during the last financial crash that wiped out the lender's share price.
Edinburgh, which specializes in placing private equity funds, is represented by Memery Crystal LLP.
The case is Edinburgh Financial & General Holdings Ltd. v. Manx Capital Partners Ltd. and another, case number CL-2020-000258, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
A/S Dan-Bunkering Ltd. and another v. Magellan; A/S Dan-Bunkering Ltd. and another v. Vessel Columbus; A/S Dan-Bunkering Ltd and another v. Vasco Da Gama
Denmark's bunker fuel supplier, A/S Dan-Bunkering Ltd., and a financier from the same country, BH Finance K/S, filed a commercial contract claim against shipping companies Magellan, Vessel Columbus and Vasco Da Gama on April 29.
The claimants are represented by Salvus Law Ltd.
The cases are A/S Dan-Bunkering Ltd. and another v. Magellan, A/S Dan-Bunkering Ltd. and another v. Vessel Columbus and A/S Dan-Bunkering Ltd and another v. Vasco Da Gama, case numbers AD-2020-000051, AD-2020-000053 and AD-2020-000052, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation v. Maritime Industry Ltd. and another
Retail financier Caterpillar filed a commercial contract claim against a company called Maritime Industry Ltd. and Kostiantyn Zhevago, a Ukrainian billionaire and the former chief executive of Ferrexpo, a London-based iron ore producer. Zhevago stepped down from that company amid allegations of money laundering late last year.
Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, which specializes in heavy equipment financing, is represented by HFW LLP.
The case is Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation v. Maritime Industry Ltd. and another, case number CL-2020-000247, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
Clifford Chance PTE Ltd. v. Duet Private Equity Ltd.
The law firm Clifford Chance filed a debt claim against Duet Private Equity, a U.K.-based financial services company with stakes in hedge funds and asset managers focused on developing markets.
The law firm is representing itself.
The case is Clifford Chance PTE Ltd. v. Duet Private Equity Ltd., case number QB-2020-001500, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
Banco Internacional de Moçambique v. Credit Suisse International and another
Mozambique's Banco Internacional de Moçambique filed a commercial contract claim against investment banker Credit Suisse International and Credit Suisse AG on April 27. Country and lender have swapped lawsuits in recent months over a $2 billion debt scandal that has resulted in several former Credit Suisse bankers copping to fraud charges in the U.S. As recently as January, Credit Suisse denied any liability connected to those former employees.
The bank is represented by Enyo Law.
The case is Banco Internacional de Moçambique v. Credit Suisse International and another, case number CL-2020-000243, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
Ace Supply Marketing Ltd. and others v. Worldpay (UK) Ltd. and others; Python Media Ltd. and others v. Worldpay (UK) Ltd. and others;
Firefly Trading International Ltd. and others v. Worldpay (UK) Ltd. and others
Nearly three dozen advertising agencies and other British companies have filed general commercial contract claims against U.K. online money transferring business Worldpay over the past week.
The litigation comes on the heels of a settlement the company struck with small businesses in December in the U.S., over allegations it overcharged them.
The claimants are separately represented in the lawsuits by Byrne & Partners LLP, Irwin Mitchell LLP and Reed Smith LLP. Worldpay is represented by Dentons.
The cases are Ace Supply Marketing Ltd. and others v. Worldpay (UK) Ltd. and others; Python Media Ltd. and others v. Worldpay (UK) Ltd. and others; Firefly Trading International Ltd. and others v. Worldpay (UK) Ltd. and others, case numbers CL-2020-000241, CL-2020-000238, and CL-2020-000255, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
LMAX Ltd. v. MAX Markets Ltd.
Fintech company LMAX Ltd., which runs a foreign exchange platform for traders, filed a trademark claim against MAX Markets Ltd., a marketplace for cryptocurrency and other digital assets, on April 24.
LMAX is represented by Simmons & Simmons LLP.
The case is LMAX Ltd. v. MAX Markets Ltd., case number IL-2020-000053, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
Valla PTC Ltd. v. Faiman Project Today Holdings Ltd. and another
Jersey-based financial services provider Valla PTC filed a commercial contract claim against Ocado co-founder Jonathan Faiman and his company, Project Today Holdings Ltd., on April 24.
Faiman is locked in a "hard fought" lawsuit with his former company over allegations he misused the online grocery delivery service's confidential information. He has denied the claims and instead accused Ocado, its CEO Tim Steiner and retailer Marks & Spencer of conspiring to damage his fledgling business, Project Today Holdings Ltd.
Valla is not a party to that litigation. In its own case, the company is represented by Eversheds Sutherland.
The case is Valla PTC Ltd. v. Faiman Project Today Holdings Ltd. and another, case number CL-2020-000240, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
Insurance
Havila Kystruten AS v. Abarac Compania De Seguros SA
Norwegian passenger ship company Havila Kystruten AS filed an insurance claim against Portuguese insurer Abarac Compania De Seguros SA on April 27. The company recently began operating a ferry service along the country's coastline following the construction of several ferries. It is represented by Watson Farley & Williams LLP.
The case is Havila Kystruten AS v. Abarac Compania De Seguros SA, case number CL-2020-000246, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
Marshall Wooldridge Ltd. v. Nicholson and another
Insurance broker Marshall Wooldridge Ltd. filed a claim on the business list against rival Waterfront Insurance Brokers Ltd. and its managing director, Lee Nicholson. The case was transferred on April 24, along with claims made by the defendants against Marshall Wooldridge.
The claimant is represented by Fox Williams LLP.
The defendants are represented by Coates & Co Solicitors.
The case is Marshall Wooldridge Ltd. v. Nicholson and another, case number BL-2020-LDS-000021, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
Oil
Valero Energy Ltd. v. Inter Terminals UK Ltd.
Energy giant Valero filed an oil and gas claim against one of Europe's largest bulk liquid storage providers, Inter Terminals UK, on April 30. Travel restrictions due to the pandemic have created a glut of supply, causing oil prices to plummet.
Valero is represented by Burges Salmon LLP.
The case is Valero Energy Ltd. v. Inter Terminals UK Ltd., case number CL-2020-000265, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
Setana Energy Ltd. v. Hafesa Energia SL
West African oil trader Setana Energy Ltd. filed a commercial contract claim against oil Spanish supplier Hafesa Energia SL on April 27. Setana is represented by Clyde & Co LLP.
The case is Setana Energy Ltd. v. Hafesa Energia SL, case number CL-2020-000244, in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
--Editing by Alyssa Miller.
For a reprint of this article, please contact reprints@law360.com.
