On 16 June 2017 the High Court dismissed a £3m claim for royalties and commission allegedly arising out of four oral contracts following a 7-day trial. In Houghton v PB Donoghue Simon represented the Defendants, who are a well-respected group of waste management and recycling companies operating in North London and Hertfordshire. After being subject to cross-examination for two days, the Claimant sought to accept the Defendants’ Part 36 offer during the progress of the trial, for which he required permission of the court. The Defendants opposed the Claimant’s application to accept the offer. The application was heard at the end of the fourth day before Morgan J., who dismissed the application on the grounds that it was too late and there had been no relevant change of circumstances in favour of the Claimant. The trial proceeded for another 5 days when Murray Rosen QC gave judgment for the Defendants on all aspects of the claim.
21st June 2017