The Litigation Podcast

Listen in to this episode of The Litigation Podcast Shorts, as Michael Beloff KC recounts his final case: the McCloud Appeal. In this significant case, the Employment Appeal Tribunal dismissed the Lord Chancellor’s appeal against the Tribunal’s decision which found that the new judicial pension scheme unlawfully discriminated against younger judges. Michael represented six of the judges who successfully challenged this discrimination. He concludes this episode by sharing invaluable insights and practical advice, drawing on decades of experience in the field.

More about Michael’s life and career can be found in his memoir, MJBQC: A Life Within and Without the Law.

Join Michael Beloff KC, widely regarded as the ‘The Godfather of Sports Law’, in this episode of The Litigation Podcast Shorts. Michael shares fascinating insights and anecdotes from his remarkable career as a barrister specialising in sports disputes.

Look out for the fourth and final instalment in Michael’s Litigation Podcast Shorts series, where he discusses his final case and offers invaluable insights and practical advice on life and practice as a barrister.

More about Michael’s life and career can be found in his memoir, MJBQC: A Life Within and Without the Law.

Welcome to this episode of The Litigation Podcast Shorts, as Michael Beloff KC discusses his experiences in defamation law. Drawing on a quintet of high-profile libel cases, Michael offers a rare perspective on this fascinating area.

Join us next time, when Michael, widely regarded as the ‘Godfather of Sports Law’, delivers his unique insight into sports law.

More about Michael’s life and career can be found in his memoir, MJBQC: A Life Within and Without the Law.

Blackstone Chambers’ Commercial Breakfast Briefing returns with an in-depth look at Commercial Remedies, beginning with some ground-breaking recent developments in the law and practice relating to freezing injunctions.

After some icebreakers from Andrew George KC in the Chair, Luka Krsljanin analyses the important guidance on showing a real-risk of dissipation provided in Canada Inc v Sovereign Holdings. Carmine Conte provides reflections on “full and frank” disclosures, while Leona Powell reviews “on-notice” freezing injunctions and other less common scenarios. The “Case of the Quarter” slot is back by popular demand, as Robert Weekes KC and Daniel Cashman provide summaries of recent cases.

Join Michael Beloff KC in the first episode of The Litigation Podcast Shorts, as he delves into one of his most memorable legal experiences: the Marshall cases. Michael successfully argued before the European Court of Justice, leading to a significant ruling upholding a complaint of discrimination and sparking a secondary case. 

Stay tuned for the next episode in this series, where Michael will share his insights into the world of defamation law. 

More about Michael’s life and career can be found in his memoir, MJBQC: A Life Within and Without the Law. 

In this special episode of the Litigation Podcast we hear from Abass Dodoo, master Ghanaian drummer and founder of One-Drum Foundation, in conversation with Ajay Ratan, Blackstone barrister and saxophonist in Abass’ band.  

Their wide-ranging discussion covers the creative process behind our new podcast music, the fascinating oral tradition by which Abass learned the drums growing up in Ghana, his pioneering work with One-Drum Foundation, and the many benefits of playing the drums (including Ajay’s experience of its peculiar benefits for lawyers!). You can see Abass and Ajay performing live on stage together in a recent video here.  

One-Drum Foundation is a UK-registered charity made up of a collective of London-based African master drummers, dancers, musicians and performers emanating from the diversity of Africa’s rich traditions. Its charitable purpose is to advance the education of the public in the arts, history and culture of African music, in particular, but not exclusively, through the provision of educational workshops and performances.  

For more information on the work of the One Drum Foundation, and links to donate, please see here. 

Today also marks the band’s release of ‘Kpanlogo’, recorded on board a floating studio on the Thames in the circumstances Abass and Ajay describe on the podcast. You can see the newly-released video for that here. 

Tune in to the most recent episode of The Litigation Podcast, in which Ivan Hare KC

presents recorded highlights from the 2024 Public Law Conference. The panel

discussions address the latest developments in recent public law cases.

Ivan Hare KC explores proportionality under the HRA: is it in the Act or on the facts?

Stephanie Palmer discusses the recent climate change cases in the European Court of

Human Rights.

Isabel Buchanan gives a brief reflection on the European Convention as it nears its 75th birthday.

If you haven’t already, listen to Part 1 with Tom Hickman KC, James Segan KC and Hanif Mussa KC and Part 2 with Sir Jeffrey Jowell KC, Tom Leary, George Molyneaux and Warren Fitt!

Tune in to the most recent episode of The Litigation Podcast, in which Ivan Hare KC presents recorded highlights from the 2024 Public Law Conference. The panel discussions address the latest developments in recent public law cases.

Tom Leary explores interim remedies in Judicial Review.

George Molyneaux examines the duty of candour, with particular focus on recent cases.

Sir Jeffrey Jowell KC and Warren Fitt discuss the UK’s relationship with the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.

Stay tuned for the third and final instalment in this series, with Ivan Hare KC, Stephanie

Palmer & Isabel Buchanan! If you haven’t already, listen to Part 1 with Tom Hickman KC, James

Segan KC and Hanif Mussa KC.

Tune in to the most recent episode of The Litigation Podcast, in which Ivan Hare KC presents recorded highlights from the 2024 Public Law Conference. The panel discussions address the latest developments in recent public law cases.

James Segan KC examines the standard of review in commercial Judicial Review.

Hanif Mussa KC discusses developments in recent Supreme Court cases on convention rights.

Tom Hickman KC discusses the future of Judicial Review.

Stay tuned for Part 2 with Sir Jeffrey Jowell KC, Tom Leary, George Molyneaux & Warren Fitt and Part 3 with Ivan Hare KC, Stephanie Palmer & Isabel Buchanan!

Do you love limitation? Does the very idea of mandatory time limits make you stop in your tracks and smile? If so, tune in to this episode of the Blackstone Chambers Litigation Podcast as Andrew George KC presents recorded highlights from the most recent Commercial Breakfast Briefing.

First, Leona Powell takes a look at the Supreme Court’s important recent decision in Canada Square Operations Ltd. v Potter on the proper construction of s32 of the Limitation Act. David Lowe and Simon Pritchard then bring us some very recent tales from the frontline while Tom Mountford takes a survey of all other recent developments in limitation.

Tune in to episode 15 of the Blackstone Chambers Litigation Podcast, as Kieron Beal KC presents the Retained EU Law Conference Part 2. Joined by Naina Patel, Emily Neill, Ravi Mehta, Harry Adamson and Hollie Higgins, the panel explore the potential impacts of the REUL Act in key affected sectors.

The REUL Act is the final chapter in a huge and complex five-year legislative exercise to give effect to Brexit in UK law. Among the Act’s many major effects, it “sunsets” significant parts of retained EU law; abolishes (unless specifically saved) directly effective provisions from Directives and general principles; and makes important changes to how retained EU law operates; whilst giving the Government yet further executive powers to amend or remove retained EU law by way of delegated legislation. The conference explained the general provisions of the Act in detail as well as exploring potential impacts in key affected sectors such as employment, environmental law, tax, financial services, telecoms and energy.

If you haven’t already, please listen to Part 1 where Kieron Beal KC, Tom de la Mare KC, James Segan KC and Gayatri Sarathy provide an insightful introduction to The REUL Act 2023.

Tune in to episode 14 of the Blackstone Chambers Litigation Podcast, as Kieron Beal

KC presents recorded highlights from the 2023 Retained EU Law Conference.

Joined by Tom de la Mare KC, James Segan KC and Gayatri Sarathy, the panel

provides an insightful introduction to The Retained EU Law (REUL) Act 2023.

The REUL Act is the final chapter in a huge and complex five-year legislative

exercise to give effect to Brexit in UK law. Among the Act’s many major

effects, it “sunsets” significant parts of retained EU law; abolishes (unless

specifically saved) directly effective provisions from Directives and general

principles; and makes important changes to how retained EU law operates; whilst

giving the Government yet further executive powers to amend or remove retained

EU law by way of delegated legislation. The conference explained the general

provisions of the Act in detail as well as exploring potential impacts in key

affected sectors such as employment, environmental law, tax, financial

services, telecoms and energy.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where Kieron Beal KC, Naina Patel, Emily Neill, Ravi Mehta, Harry

Adamson and Hollie Higgins explore the potential impacts of the

REUL Act in key affected sectors.

In this podcast, Charlotte Kilroy KC examines the relevance of Lord Atkin’s famous dissent in Liversidge v Anderson [1942]AC 206 for lawyers and judges today. She highlights anti-terrorism legislation introduced in 2001 as part of the ‘war on terror’ and the Belmarsh case, deprivation of citizenship and the Shamima Begum case, and most recently the Illegal Migration Act 2023.

Hanif Mussa KC of Blackstone Chambers presents recorded highlights of the 2023

Public Seminar Conference, featuring, George Molyneaux, Sarah Wilkinson, and Charlotte

Kilroy KC.

Listen in as George Molyneaux discusses standing in judicial review claims, including

recent cases in this area and practical ways in which legal representatives can

assist clients when dealing with standing issues.

Sarah Wilkinson provides a general update on procedure in the administrative court

following the last 12 months.

Finally, Charlotte Kilroy KC examines procedural fairness, the principles which underpin it, and how to achieve compliance in practice, and asks why it is so often honoured in the breach.

In this episode, we are joined by Blackstone Chambers’  Stephen Nathan KC, Tom Croxford KC, and Tom Hickman KC as they share their most memorable cases.

Listen in as Stephen Nathan KC recalls his longest-running case, Kuwait Airways v Iraqi Airways Company.  Stephen draws on his unique experience in court and his visit to Iraq. The several judgments in KAC v IAC have, so far, been cited in more than a hundred High Court and Court of Appeal judgments in England, as well as in other common law jurisdictions.

Tom Croxford KC discusses the complexity of  Passi v Nissan & Ors, a high-profile whistleblowing case, much reported in international press, including successfully resisting application for interim relief by former general counsel.

Tom Hickman KC reflects on one of his involvement in one of the highest profile and most controversial cases of modern times, R(Miller) v Secretary of State Exiting the European Union, in which Judges were branded “Enemies of the People” and the Supreme Court sat for the first time with 11 Justices. Tom reveals insights about the origins of the case and how he was caught up in the whirlwind litigation in a team led by Lord Pannick KC.

Join us for this insightful and thought-provoking episode as these distinguished barristers detail their most memorable cases and the experiences they encountered.

We are delighted to share Part II of the Blackstone Chambers’ Annual Employee Competition Seminar of The Litigation Podcast with Craig Rajgopaul, Sarah Wilkinson, and Emmeline Plews. 

 In Part II, Craig Rajgopaul will discuss conspiracy claims and professional conduct issues.  

Sarah Wilkinson examines whether the new willingness to grant damages in lure of injunction may permeate into employment law.  

Emmeline Plews analyses the case of Boydell v NZP Ltd and another, regarding a recent decision in the Court of Appeal which gives important guidance on severance.

We are delighted to share Blackstone Chambers’ annual Employee Competition Seminar in a two-part series of The Litigation Podcast. 

In these episodes, based on the 2023 Employee Competition Seminar, Tom Croxford KC introduces Paul Goulding KC and Diya Sen Gupta KC in Part I, and Craig Rajgopaul, Sarah Wilkinson, and Emmeline Plews in Part II. 

In Part I, Paul Goulding KC analyses the scope and implications of proposed legislation to cap non-compete agreements at three months. 

Diya Sen Gupta KC examines the utilisation of unlawfully or improperly obtained evidence, drawing on the recent cases Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA) v Azima and FKJ v RVT.  

In this episode, we are joined by Blackstone Chambers’ Michael Beloff KC, Ian Mill KC, Catherine Callaghan KC, and Tim Parker as they share their most memorable cases.

Listen in as Michael Beloff KC  recalls his first case, representing the band Love Affair. In this amusing account, he shares the satisfaction of achieving his first successful outcome for the band. He then follows with his most interesting case, Merdeka University Bhd v. Government of Malaysia, which is also included in ‘MJBQC: A Life Within and Without the Law’.

Ian Mill KC shares his experience representing high profile celebrities, George Michael [1994] ChD 142 and Ed Sheeran [2022] EWHC 827(Ch), in recording contracts and copyright disputes. Ian discusses the challenges of media attention in these high-profile cases.

Catherine Callaghan KC discusses the complexity of Mr. and Mrs M. Against the Fertilisation and Embryology Authority [2016]EWCA Civ 611, and highlights the memorable impact this case had on her own life.

Finally, Tim Parker reflects on one of his earlier cases in the Hong Kong Court of Appeal (unreported, CACV 117/2017, 25 September 2017) as a pupil at Blackstone Chambers, and the impact of this case on same-sex rights in Hong Kong.

Join us for this insightful and thought-provoking episode as these distinguished barristers detail their most memorable cases and the lessons they learned from them.

Join Ian Mill KC, Mark Vinall, Celia Rooney, and Rayan Fakhoury as they discuss the shape of music litigation, past and present, with key lessons learned from recent cases including cases involving Ed Sheeran, Rudimental, Culture Club and Rihanna. 

This episode examines topics such as: 

• the relevance of access for copyright cases in the digital age,
• how the courts treat evidence in proving musical creation,
• contractual disputes and the implications of the advent of streaming for the construction of historic contracts
• emerging contrasts and divergences between US and UK music litigation

Join Andreas Gledhill KC and he explores the implications of the recent case Re Compound Photonics Group Ltd; Faulkner v. Vollin Holdings Ltd [2022] EWCA Civ 1371.

One of the most contentious issues in the law of obligations has been the role of good faith in contract law:   

1. When is an obligation of good faith implied?   
2. And in cases where it is either implied, or expressly agreed, what is its scope:  what standard of behaviour does a duty of good faith bind the parties to? 

Andreas will address these issues, with particular reference to a decision of the Court of Appeal in October, in a case called Re Compound Photonics Group (which I’ll call “Compound”, for short).