Members of 3VB featured in The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2025

3VB has been recognised in The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2025, which lists the most high-profile disputes on the horizon.

Eight members of 3VB are involved in the four following cases which feature in the list:

R (on the application of Al-Haq) v Secretary of State for Business and Trade

This judicial review challenges the UK Government’s failure to suspend licenses for the export of weapons and related parts to Israel in connection with its conflict in Gaza. The initial scope of the challenge concerned decisions of the former Government to continue to permit all weapons exports to Israel, but in September 2024, the new Labour Government suspended around 30 licenses on the basis that there exists a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law. That decision, however, excluded F-35 fighter jet parts on the basis that such components form part of a wider global programme and raise issues of international peace and security. The judicial review challenge will now primarily focus on the scope of the September 2024 decision and whether the exclusion of F-35 fighter jet parts was lawful.

Acting for the applicant, Al-Haq:

3VB’s Catherine Drummond, instructed by Bindmans partner Alice Hardy, and the Global Legal Action Network’s Dearbhla Minogue and Charlotte Andrews-Briscoe.

The Public Institution For Social Security v Al Rajaan and others

The Claimant (“PIFSS”) is a public institution authorised by law to operate the State of Kuwait’s social security system and pension scheme. PIFSS brings claims against 35 defendants, for sums totalling at least US$969.8 million (excluding interest), arising from the alleged corruption of its former Director General (“Mr Al Rajaan”). That sum is said to represent the known total of unlawful corrupt payments received by Mr Al Rajaan and his associates. PIFSS alleges that the financial institution defendants, together with certain individual partners or representatives of those institutions and a number of other financial intermediaries and associated corporate vehicles, acted in concert to make corrupt payments to Mr Al Rajaan and to assist him to conceal and dispose of such payments.

Acting for the claimant, The Public Institution For Social Security (PIFSS):

3VB’s Christopher Burdin, instructed by Stewarts partners Mo Bhaskaran, Martin Walsh, Pia Mithani, Nick Haworth.

Jinxin Inc v Aser Media, Media Partners and Silva, Marco Auletta, Riccardo Silva Holding Designated Activity, Riccardo Silva and Andrea Radrizzani

The claim comprises a substantial claim (value c.US$715,000,000), raising issues of bribery and corruption in the awarding of international media rights in elite sports. The claim arises out of the purchase by the Claimant of a 65% stake in the MPS Group, a sports media rights agency. The Claimant contends that following the purchase, it emerged that the MPS Group’s business was built upon unlawful and illegal business practices, its media rights to key football tournaments (the Italian Serie A football league (seasons 2010/11 to 2016/17) and the FIFA World Cup (2018 and 2022 world cups)) procured by corrupt payments to key decision-makers. Additionally, MPS had entered into a series of unlawful anti-competitive agreements with other potential bidders in advance of the tender process for the Serie A league media rights. The Claimant contends that the nature and lawfulness of the group’s business arrangements was misrepresented to it during the pre-acquisition due diligence process and, further, that it was provided with inflated EBITDA projections. The Claimant accordingly brings claims in deceit and unlawful means conspiracy against certain of the vendors of the shares and seeks rescission of the share purchase agreement.

The Defendants to these claims comprise two of the founders of the MPS Group, Mr Riccardo Silva, and Mr Andrea Radrizzani, together with the corporate entities through which they held their shares; the entity through which the third founder (Mr Carlo Pozzali) held his shares, and Mr Marco Auletta, the former Chief Executive Officer of the group. These Defendants deny making the alleged representations, deny the alleged unlawful activity (and/or knowledge of the same), and deny in any event that the Claimant relied upon the alleged representations.

Legal issues arising include matters of Irish law, Italian law, Swiss law and English law, as well as revisiting the topical issue of reliance and implied representations, in the context of a complex, multi-party international acquisition.

A further claim pursuant to a tax deed (against all of the vendors of the shares) has been stayed pending the outcome of the claims in deceit and unlawful means conspiracy.

Acting for the claimant, Jinxin Inc:

3VB’s Adrian Beltrami KC and Anne Jeavons, instructed by Herbert Smith Freehills partner Julian Copeman and senior associates Celine Wang, Victoria O’Dea and Timothy Kyriakou.

The Pan-NOx Emissions Group Litigation (Dieselgate)

Over a million English and Welsh claimants have sued diesel car manufacturers in relation to the Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions of the vehicles, and whether they breached European law on those emissions by having prohibited defeat devices that caused the vehicles to have higher NOx emissions outside the official European test cycle to those produced during the test (which the cars passed). This is the largest group action in English legal history. This 2025 trial is the first main trial in the action which consolidates multiple Group Litigation Orders (after a 2-week preliminary issue trial on European law issues in October 2024). The Mercedes, Ford, Nissan Renault and Peugeot Citroen groups have been selected as lead manufacturer groups and various sample vehicles for each of those manufacturers will be considered at the trial. Other manufacturer groups (Volkswagen/Porsche, BMW, Fiat Chrysler/Suzuki, Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo, Hyundai Kia, Mazda Toyota ) will also participate in the trial on legal issues.

Acting for the claimants:

3VB’s Adam Kramer KC and Chloë Bell, instructed by Martyn Day of Leigh Day, Nicola Boyle of Hausfeld and Peter Gallagher of Pogust Goodhead.

Acting for the Volvo defendants:

3VB’s Peter de Verneuil Smith KC and Judy Fu, instructed by DLA Piper partners Jamie Curle, Jeremy Sher and Charles Allin

Winner: UK Bar Awards 2023
The Lawyer Awards 2022: Chambers of the Year