header-logo header-logo

Home Login E-newsletter About us
15 December 2011
Issue: 7494 / Categories: Case law , Law reports , In Court
printer mail-detail

Solicitor—Lien—Money in client account

© Copyright LexisNexis 2026. All Rights Reserved.

Withers LLP v Langbar International Ltd [2011] EWCA Civ 1419, [2011] All ER (D) 22 (Dec)

Court of Appeal, Civil Division, Lloyd, Kitchen LLJ and Sir Robin Jacob, 5 Dec 2011

In determining whether a lien existed over money in a solicitor’s client account, the question was whether the terms on which the money was paid into the account were compatible with the money being subject to a lien in favour of the solicitor.

Joanna Smith QC and Sebastian Allen (instructed by Withers LLP) for Withers. Andrew Fletcher QC and Charlotte Eborall (instructed by Jones Day) for the respondents.

Clients of Withers LLP, a firm of solicitors, had been sued for a substantial sum by the respondents. In April 2008, the proceedings were settled by an agreement by which the clients agreed to pay around £30m to the respondents. The £30m was warranted by the clients to equate to nearly all of their worldwide assets. The agreement contained a provision about the payment to the respondents of a sum of money

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Read All
Sponsored by
Zylpha LogoClick to know more
NLJ Career Profile: Maryam Syed KC, Church Court Chambers

NLJ Career Profile: Maryam Syed KC, Church Court Chambers

From childhood dreams of the Bar to some of the country's most challenging cases, Maryam Syed KC explains why she has never stopped standing up for others

DAC Beachcroft—Richard Breavington, Rachel Ford & Daniel Guilfoyle

DAC Beachcroft—Richard Breavington, Rachel Ford & Daniel Guilfoyle

DAC Beachcroft significantly expands Cyber team, hiring three Cyber partners

Browne Jacobson—Professor Clive Kay

Browne Jacobson—Professor Clive Kay

Browne Jacobson appoints senior healthcare leader Professor Clive Kay as strategic adviser

NEWS
Read All
NLJ this week: Reframing family dispute resolution
As family justice moves further away from the courtroom, collaborative law is emerging as an increasingly important route to resolving separation disputes
NLJ this week: Employment law updates on restraints, representation & tribunal boundaries
A busy period for employment law is producing important lessons for employers, employees and tribunals alike
NLJ this week Civil way: Practical procedure lessons & cautionary tales
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners
NLJ this week: Fraud in the digital age

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.

NLJ this week: Right outcome, troubling reasoning?
How forcefully can a litigant criticise a public authority before robust advocacy crosses the line into unreasonable conduct? 
Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
back-to-top-scroll