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14 May 2021
Issue: 7932 / Categories: Legal News , Tax , International justice
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NLJ this week: Danes thwarted in mega tax scandal litigation

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Behemoth case SKAT, brought by the Danish tax authorities in hot pursuit of £1.5bn lost in alleged dividend tax fraud, was one of the biggest civil litigation claims to come before the English courts, writes Rosenblatt senior associate Nick Leigh in this week’s NLJ.

The Danish state was this week ordered to pay the defendants indemnity costs, in a judgment that did not shy from criticising the ferocity of the claimant’s pursuit. Last month, the Danes lost the case. More than 100 defendants were involved and the trial was anticipated to last a year. The alleged fraud has been a high-profile scandal in the Danish media.

Mr Justice Andrew Baker, however, was able to dismiss all the claims in one go in the first of two mini-trials to determine preliminary issues. Leigh writes: ‘What was the cause? The Revenue Rule.’ 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Thomson Hayton Winkley—Jordan Wallace

Thomson Hayton Winkley—Jordan Wallace

Thomson Hayton Winkley strengthens family law team

Ward Hadaway—Barnaby Rosenthall

Ward Hadaway—Barnaby Rosenthall

Construction lawyer returns to Ward Hadaway in Teesside role

Bird & Bird—Shahin Baghaei

Bird & Bird—Shahin Baghaei

Bird Bird hires leading legal transformation expert

NEWS
Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned solicitors and law firms that using artificial intelligence does not alter their professional obligations, amid concerns over inaccurate legal material and client confidentiality
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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