Worldwide Corporation Ltd v Marconi Communications Ltd and Another

JurisdictionEngland & Wales
Judgment Date21 June 1999
Date21 June 1999
CourtCourt of Appeal (Civil Division)

Court of Appeal.

Before Lord Justice Waller and Lord Justice Mance

Worldwide Corporation Ltd
and
Marconi Communications Ltd and Another

Practice - assurances given by counsel in open court - allegation that counsel negligent - clients bound by assurances

Clients are bound by counsel's assurances to the court

The rule that clients were ordinarily bound by assurances given in open court by counsel applied even where a claim in negligence might lie against counsel in respect of his conduct of the case for which he might be able to claim immunity.

The Court of Appeal so held in dismissing the application of the plaintiffs, Worldwide Corporation Ltd, for permission to appeal against the decisions of Mr Justice Moore-Bick in the Commercial Court of the Queen's Bench Division on December 21, 1998 refusing to grant an adjournment of their action for breach of contract and entering judgment for the defendants, Marconi Communications Ltd, formerly GPT Ltd, and GPT (Middle East) Ltd.

Mr Christopher Carr, QC, who did not appear below, and Mr Michael Norman for the plaintiffs; Mr Peter Scott, QC and Mr Craig Orr for the defendants.

LORD JUSTICE WALLER said...

Get this document and AI-powered insights with a free trial of vLex and Vincent AI

Get Started for Free

Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant

  • Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database

  • Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength

  • Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities

  • Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting

vLex

Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant

  • Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database

  • Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength

  • Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities

  • Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting

vLex

Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant

  • Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database

  • Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength

  • Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities

  • Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting

vLex

Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant

  • Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database

  • Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength

  • Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities

  • Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting

vLex

Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant

  • Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database

  • Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength

  • Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities

  • Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting

vLex

Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant

  • Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database

  • Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength

  • Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities

  • Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting

vLex