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17 March 2021 / Robin Kingham
Issue: 7925 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , Regulatory
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Is your settlement agreement unenforceable?

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Robin Kingham provides an update on the status of Tomlin Order settlements in relation to consumer credit law
  • Gertner—a long running case involving a guarantee, a strike-down of an IVA, and a bankruptcy petition—has had a major impact on consumer credit law.
  • Litigators will need to consider this judgment carefully in order to ensure that any proposed settlement agreement does not inadvertently become subject to consumer credit regulation.

Significant consumer credit cases generally start as relatively small matters in the county court and gradually work their way up through the High Court to the Court of Appeal and, exceptionally, to the Supreme Court. The recent Court of Appeal decision in CFL Finance Ltd v Laser Trust & Gertner [2021] EWCA Civ 228, [2021] All ER (D) 115 (Feb) was very different.

Background

Mr Gertner was sued on a personal guarantee that he had given for a company loan. He defended the claim for the principal debt of £1.7m on the basis that the lender’s director

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—four appointments

Birketts—four appointments

Firm expands partnership with four lateral hires across key practice areas

Harper James—Lottie Hugo

Harper James—Lottie Hugo

Commercial law firm announces appointment of corporate partner

Carey Olsen—Patrick Ormond

Carey Olsen—Patrick Ormond

Partner joins corporate and finance practice in British Virgin Islands

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Serial sperm donor Robert Albon has lost his bid for a declaration of paternity, ‘on the ground that to grant it would manifestly be contrary to public policy’
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A ‘sophisticated suspected fraud’ may have taken place at PM Law involving the improper removal and misuse of about £39.5m of client funds, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has confirmed
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) will invest in technology to catch tech-reliant fraudsters and handle voluminous case materials
Law firms enjoyed rapid growth in 2025, according to a Financial Benchmarking Survey, published by the Law Society last week
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