Practice—Pre-trial or post-judgment relief—Freezing order

Queen’s Bench Division, Commercial Court, Colin Edelman QC, 9 Mar 2012

The Commercial Court dealt with a number of aspects of enforcing a post-judgment worldwide freezing order.

Simon Rainey QC and Tom Macey-Dare (instructed by Stevenson Harwood) for the claimant. Steven Gee QC and Peter Stevenson (instructed by Swinnerton Moore LLP) for the defendant.

The claimant was granted a post-judgment worldwide freezing order against the defendant company upon an underlying claim which related to guarantees. The freezing order contained a prohibition on the defendant from dealing with or disposing by an “officer or agent appointed by power of attorney” with any of its assets other than in the ordinary or proper course of business. Further, before dealing with or disposing with assets exceeding £25,000 in value, the defendant was required to inform the claimant’s solicitors. As a result of the freezing order, the claimant applied for a number of