UK firm wins case against Lankan Govt.

Thursday, 27 January 2011 01:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

YORKSHIRE law firm Clarion has won a long-running claim against the Government of the Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka on behalf of its client, the Original Eickhorn Solingen Company (OESC), recovering a substantial sum.

The claim arose from an international arbitration started in Sri Lanka in 1999 concerning the quality and fitness for purpose of military body armour supplied to the Sri Lankan Army.

The arbitration was initially won by OESC, previously known as Lightweight Body Armour Limited, before an appeal by the Sri Lankan Army and a further successful appeal by OESC to the Supreme Court in Sri Lanka.

The arbitration award was then registered as a Judgment of the High Court of England & Wales and enforcement proceedings started in the Commercial Court in London.

Clarion was instructed last February and the Leeds-based dispute resolution team moved in to identify Government assets against which enforcement action could be taken.

“The claim brings to an end a 12 year dispute. The enforcement proceedings were lengthy, technically complex and politically sensitive as the Government claimed that certain assets were subject to diplomatic privilege and immune from enforcement action. We were able to successfully challenge those arguments and recover the judgment sum together with interest and costs,” said Stephen Inglis, partner in Clarion’s dispute resolution team.

“I have acted for OESC in the past and I am delighted that we have helped to bring to a successful end a lengthy and complex commercial dispute.” (Source: www.thebusinessdesk.com)