Cobussen Principal Investment Holdings Ltd v Akbar & Ors [2020] EWHC 476 (QB)

James Weale acts for the claimant in an application for a charging order against a valuable property in London held through a trust structure to enforce a $20m judgment debt. Following a heavily contested application disclosure, James succeeded in obtaining an order for specific disclosure in respect of over 50 separate categories of documents.

In the course of his judgment handed down on 3 March 2020 [2020] EWHC 476 (QB), Edis J held that a solicitor’s professional duties required them to take possession, and carry out searches, of their clients documents themselves rather than to allow such searches to be conducted by their clients. The judgment also highlights the very limited weight which will be attached to witness statements from solicitors given on instructions.

Please click here to view the judgment.