Commercial News

Top arbitrator and litigator David Parratt KC joins 3PB

29th January 2021

3PB Head of Chambers David Berkley KC is delighted to announce that barrister and former Advocate David Parratt KC (call: 1999/Silk: 2017) has joined full-time from Arnot Manderson Chambers in Scotland, having previously been a door tenant with the national chambers. David (pictured here) is a leading counsel for international and UK arbitrations and also has experience acting as arbitrator. He is renowned for his work in commercial, construction, engineering and energy disputes. He has...

3PB burns the midnight oil for claimant businesses ahead of Supreme Court decision in their favour on the FCA’s Business Interruption Insurance test case

15th January 2021

3PB Head of Chambers David Berkley QC (pictured here) and fellow commercial litigation barrister Neil Fawcett have been burning the midnight oil since Christmas ahead of today’s test case in favour of their clients, most of whom are small to medium-sized businesses, after the Supreme Court found in favour of the Financial Conduct Authority in their case against Arch Insurance and other UK insurers. Some insurers have already paid out on certain claims, but many have...

Max Schofield’s OnlyFans VAT case is referred to the European Court of Justice ahead of Brexit

15th December 2020

3PB’s commercial and tax barrister Max Schofield was instructed to advise Fenix International Limited, who operate the OnlyFans website, in their VAT dispute with HMRC about the VAT liability of online platforms under EU law. OnlyFans is a global social media platform where fans subscribe to creators to see online content. Led by Valentina Sloane QC of Monckton Chambers, Max obtained an order from the UK’s First-Tier Tribunal (Tax) referring the question of the validity...

Watch again: webinar on vicarious liability and reflective loss

2nd December 2020

3PB's Head of Chambers David Berkley QC, Seb Oram and Naomi Webber hosted a very well-attended webinar this morning on vicarious liability and reflective loss. In this lockdown year the Supreme Court has not been idle. The common law, by nature organic, was, in 2020, significantly developed or at least refined in respect of two key concepts. First, in Barclays Bank v Various Claimants [2020] UKSC 13 and WM Morrisons Supermarkets plc v Various Claimants...

Property conveyancing solicitors and tax practitioners involved with stamp duty land tax need to be wary after a rise in claims against them for professional negligence for failing to advise on, or failure to submit a return for, Multiple Dwelling Relief (MDR). 3PB’s commercial and tax specialist barrister Max Schofield, who has described the present spike in claims as  a “new negligence outbreak”, explains the importance of multiple dwellings relief when considering stamp duty land...

Max Schofield successfully opposes HMRC's appeal in VAT zero-rating case

13th November 2020

Indirect tax specialist Max Schofield successfully acted for the Respondent juice cleanse company before the Upper Tribunal in HMRC v The Core (Swindon) Ltd [2020] UKUT 0301 (TCC). In this case, a programme of juices was held by the FTT to be zero-rated food rather than standard-rated beverages. Following this decision, HMRC were refused permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal on the papers twice but were eventually granted permission on a limited ground following...

3PB sponsor Support Through Court “In Conversation with" Sarah Langford and William Clegg QC

29th October 2020

3PB are pleased to sponsor Support Through Court’s 4th “In Conversation” event due to take place via Zoom on Wednesday 18 November 7-8.30pm. The event will be joined by Sarah Langford and William Clegg QC, who will discuss their experiences at the bar and help raise funds and awareness for the charity. Sarah Langford is a barrister from 3PB and Sunday Times Best Seller for ‘In your defense’, a book commended for powerfully communicating the...

46 barristers at 3PB ranked in Chambers & Partners 2021 UK Bar directory

22nd October 2020

The 2021 Chambers and Partners legal directory - which ranks and rates barristers and solicitors based on independent research by the publisher and direct feedback from clients - has given 46 3PB barristers rankings in this year's guide, across 16 different practice areas. This includes two new group rankings for Family (Children) and Family (Matrimonial Finance) teams in the Midlands and new ratings for Chancery in the Midlands as well as Planning Law in the...

Business Interruptions Insurance webinar - recording now available!

13th October 2020

3PB barristers David Berkley KC, David Parratt KC (Scot) and Neil Fawcett bring you a recording of their webinar on ''Business Interruption Insurance''. The test case of Financial Conduct Authority v Arch Insurance (UK) Ltd. and Ors [2020] EWHC 2448 (Comm) which was handed down in a 160-page judgement, provides some interesting points for businesses - and their lawyers - looking to claim against business interruption insurance. During this recorded webinar, the 3PB team outline...

3PB are pleased to announce that former doctor Dr Tagbo Ilozue (Crime/Regulatory Law/Personal Injury/Clinical Negligence/Inquests) and former energy and international research fellow Mariya Peykova (Commercial/Contract/ Construction/Public Law) have both successfully completed their pupillages today and become tenants at the 200-barrister, national chambers. 3PB Chief Executive Simon Astill said:  “I am delighted to welcome both of these pupils as new tenants and junior counsel here. They have all shown great aptitude, hard work and expert advocacy...

3PB commercial barrister Neil Fawcett has prepared a summary briefing for clients and UK businesses and their lawyers on the test case of Financial Conduct Authority v Arch Insurance (UK) Ltd. and Ors [2020] EWHC 2448 (Comm) which was handed down last week in a 160-page judgement. The briefing outlines some of the interesting features of the decision and how this will affect insurance claims. The judgment will provide significant scope for argument but it...

3PB Commercial Barrister Marc Brittain and Pupil Barrister Mariya Peykova consider the conditions under which employers in the construction industry should have to pay a levy for the purpose of meeting the expenses of an industrial training board. Click here to read Marc Brittain and Mariya Peykova's analysis. Marc Brittain [email protected] and Mariya Peykova [email protected] can be contacted by emailing them or their clerk David Fielder on [email protected] or by calling him on 0330 332...