Commercial update: Do contract clauses that preclude oral variations, work?

14th July 2016

Commercial contracts often contain clauses that prevent a variation of the contract taking effect unless reduced to writing (an “anti-oral variation clause”). Edward Ross analyses a recent decision of the Court of Appeal in MWB Business Exchange Centres Ltd v. Rock Advertising Ltd [2016] EWCA Civ 553 that considers (1) does an anti-oral variation clause prevent an oral variation from having effect? (2) if not, what is to be considered good consideration for the variation?

Edward is a Commercial Law barrister who regularly advises in business disputes.