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03 May 2024 / Mary Young
Issue: 8069 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , Fraud
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Smoke & mirrors in the world of fraud litigation

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A cautionary tale from Mary Young, showing that anyone can be duped—including lawyers
  • A discussion of Verdi Law Group PC v BNP Paribas [2023], in which the claimant law firm fell for a scam.
  • Firms need to be more cautious than ever in all their dealings—when agreeing to act, taking instructions and verifying client account details.

It is not uncommon for solicitors’ firms to be parties to litigation (as opposed to representing parties to litigation), even if breach of contract and/or negligence claims are disregarded. In recent years we have seen Dechert brought into the proceedings involving its former client, giving rise to wide-ranging decisions about issues such as the iniquity exception to privilege.

There was a spate of claims involving solicitors’ firms between 2012 and 2014 relating to property hijack cases, where solicitors had inadvertently been involved in fraud relating to the sale and purchase of real estate, where the purported vendor was an imposter who had stolen the identity of the genuine owner of the property. The combined appeals of P&P Property and Dreamvar

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Anthony Collins—20 promotions

Anthony Collins—20 promotions

20 promotions mark major people investment at national law firm, Anthony Collins

Sidley—Elaine Whiteford

Sidley—Elaine Whiteford

Sidley adds competition litigator Elaine Whiteford in London

Charles Russell Speechlys—Claudina D’Costa

Charles Russell Speechlys—Claudina D’Costa

Charles Russell Speechlys welcomes Claudina D’Costa as Director of Client Development Marketing

NEWS
The 25th Pro Bono Week begins today until 6 November, with events hosted by law firms, chambers, law schools and charities across the UK
Pro bono is celebrating a silver anniversary, with initiatives putting businesses and students at the heart of access to justice
Choosing the wrong expert can cost a clinical negligence claimant more than their case
Judges risk weakening their own independence by staying silent over government reforms, a leading public lawyer argues
A discount on damages does not automatically mean an equivalent haircut for legal costs in military deafness claims
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