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12 January 2017
Issue: 7729 / Categories: Legal News
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VW fumes class action

Some 10,000 car owners are mounting a massive class action against Volkswagen Group over alleged substandard diesel emissions.

The High Court is due to hear the application later this month. The action is being co-ordinated by law firms Harcus Sinclair and Slater and Gordon, who are seeking several thousand pounds in compensation for each of their clients. They allege that 1.2, 1.6 and 2.0 litre diesel vehicles made between 2009 and 2015 by Volkswagon, Audi, SEAT or Skoda produce higher levels of NOx than is permitted by law when driven on the road.

The group strenuously denies any wrongdoing, and says it is being transparent and is trying to find out what went wrong and to resolve matters as quickly as possible.

Last month, Volkswagen was reported to have agreed a £810m settlement to fix or buy back diesel vehicles in the US. It has also agreed to contribute to a pollution reduction fund.

Issue: 7729 / Categories: Legal News
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—Nathan Evans

Birketts—Nathan Evans

Commercial and technology team in Cambridge strengthened by partner hire

Andrew & Andrew Solicitors—Shikha Datta

Andrew & Andrew Solicitors—Shikha Datta

Hampshire firm appoints head of new family department

Latham & Watkins—Sarah Lightdale

Latham & Watkins—Sarah Lightdale

Firm strengthens securities practice with partner return

NEWS

From blockbuster judgments to procedural shake-ups, the courts are busy reshaping litigation practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School hails the Court of Appeal's 'exquisite judgment’ in Mazur restoring the role of supervised non-qualified staff, and highlights a ‘mammoth’ damages ruling likened to War and Peace, alongside guidance on medical reporting fees, where a pragmatic 25% uplift was imposed

Momentum is building behind proposals to restrict children’s access to social media—but the legal and practical challenges are formidable. In NLJ this week, Nick Smallwood of Mills & Reeve examines global moves, including Australia’s under-16 ban and the UK's consultation
Reforms designed to rebalance landlord-tenant relations may instead penalise leaseholders themselves. In this week's NLJ, Mike Somekh of The Freehold Collective warns that the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 risks creating an ‘underclass’ of resident-controlled freehold companies
Timing is everything—and the Court of Appeal has delivered clarity on when proceedings are ‘brought’. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ, Stephen Gold explains that a claim is issued for limitation purposes when the claim form is delivered to the court, even if fees are underpaid
The traditional ‘single, intensive day’ of financial dispute resolution (FDR) may be due for a rethink. Writing in NLJ this week, Rachel Frost-Smith and Lauren Guiler of Birketts propose a ‘split FDR’ model, separating judicial evaluation from negotiation
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