High Court judge Mr Justice Robin Knowles will be the judge in property tycoon Robert Tchenguiz’s claim against Grant Thornton and others when it goes to trial in October, writes James Lumley.
Tchenguiz has been embroiled in a long and complicated series of legal battles over an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office into their business in the wake of the failure of Icelandic lends Kaupthing. He is claiming millions of pounds, alleging a conspiracy between individuals at Grant Thornton and failed Icelandic lender Kaupthing to encourage the SFO to start their investigation.
That SFO investigation led to the arrest of Tchenguiz and his brother Vincent in 2011. They were subsequently released without charge and the SFO later settled a lawsuit brought by the brothers, paid damages, and issued an apology.
Knowles J is the judge who, for almost two years, has been the case management judge for the claim, which means that he has been hearing and ruling on protracted pre-trial scuffles between the parties.
The case management judge does not automatically become the trial judge, so Knowles J’s appointment is interesting because he will come to the trial immersed in its complexities. Even so, after many battles, some of the participants might prefer a fresh referee.
Knowles J told the case’s participants today that he would be the trial judge, while presiding over the latest case management conference, held at the Rolls Building in Central London.
The judge and lawyers will come up against each other at least once more before the October trial. A pre-trial review is scheduled for 19 July.
Robert Tchenguiz and ors v Grant Thornton UK LLP and ors
CMC (Knowles J) 27 January 2018
