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04 October 2013 / Clare Arthurs , Richard Marshall
Issue: 7578 / Categories: Features , Commercial
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Better connected

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When it comes to forum shopping, every little (fact) counts, say Richard Marshall & Clare Arthurs

London appears increasingly popular as a centre for international litigation, particularly among litigants from the former Soviet Republic. You might be forgiven for thinking that international litigants have open access to the UK courts, irrespective of how tenuous the connection might be between the circumstances of their case and this jurisdiction. Recent cases however suggest that international forum shoppers may now be swimming against the tide.

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In VTB Capital plc v Nutritek International Corp [2013] UKSC 5, [2013] All ER (D) 47 (Feb) the Supreme Court refused VTB Capital (VTB) permission to serve proceedings outside the jurisdiction, on the basis that England was not the proper forum for the resolution of the dispute. It was not however a clear cut decision: Lord Clarke and Lord Reed dissented from the majority view, held by Lords Neuberger, Mance and Wilson. Unpicking these judgments provides useful guidance on how the courts will approach the thorny issue

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NEWS
As family justice moves further away from the courtroom, collaborative law is emerging as an increasingly important route to resolving separation disputes
A busy period for employment law is producing important lessons for employers, employees and tribunals alike
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners

Jonathan Fisher KC highlights that it now accounts for around 40% of criminal offences, with roughly 70% involving technology, and argues that the UK cannot simply prosecute its way out of the problem. Detection, investigation and prosecution all require improvement, while different fraud types demand tailored responses.

How forcefully can a litigant criticise a public authority before robust advocacy crosses the line into unreasonable conduct? 
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