Electronic Signature in UK Law

It was common ground both before the judge and before us that an electronic signature is sufficient and that a first name, initials, or perhaps a nickname will suffice. In my judgment Mr Hindley put his name, Guy, on the email so as to indicate that it came with his authority and that he took responsibility for the contents. I have no doubt that that is a sufficient authentication.

The disclosure ordered by Walker J herein has revealed that since 2005 Howe Robinson has fixed around 125 vessels on Mr Salgaocar's instructions with Trustworth as charterers. Of those 43 fixtures 36 involved guarantees in the same form as in the present case namely by a single line in the charterparty. In January and February 2008 Howe Robinson concluded 15 other fixtures on Mr Salgaocar's instructions, three of which were guaranteed by SMI.

I do not accept Mr Kimmins' submission that the characteristic performance of a warranty of authority contract is the provision of the warranty. The provision of the warranty is the promise, not the performance of it. A person who warrants his authority warrants that a state of affairs exists. The warranty is fulfilled if he has the authority which he claims to have.

Given that I have found that the claim in deceit succeeds, it is not strictly necessary to decide whether this is an appropriate case in which to pierce the corporate veil and permit a claim which should otherwise be pursued against the company to be pursued against the defendant.

As I have noted, to fall within s594, the arrangement needed to be for both the transfer of ZB shares and the allotment of Z plc shares. ii) was that the nature of the arrangement could not be set out with any coherence. It could not have made any such direction since no-one knew how many shares (if any) RSS and TSSY were to hold for OFSB.

I am prepared to accept that the value of shares in some companies can safely be ascertained by reference to audited accounts. For example, if a company's audited accounts show that its sole asset consists of a holding of £10 million in nominal amount of UK government gilts, and that it has no liabilities or other activities, it could safely be inferred that the value of its issued share capital is equal to that of the gilts the company holds.