Irvine Sellar has made further allegations in his £55m claim against the firm of lawyers that acted for him on the 1998 joint venture purchase with Simon Halabi of the Shard of Glass site.
In papers filed at the High Court, the developer is claiming that Nicholson Graham & Jones (NGJ) had negligently failed to give advice on an April 2001 “rectification” agreement that reduced Halabi’s share in the site, which is to house the proposed 1,016ft glass building.
Sellar alleges that NGJ should have advised that Halabi had to consent to the rectification and that it had to be subject to a formal contract between Halabi and the other joint venture partners.
He claims that had he received that advice, the rectification would not have been susceptible to challenge by Halabi on any basis. He also contends that he would not have incurred the substantial costs of a bitter dispute between himself and Halabi in the
The latest claim follows a December 2006 claim by Sellar, concerning NGJ’s drafting of the original joint venture agreement for the £39m acquisition of the site. Sellar claims that this gave Halabi a controlling half-share in the site when he should have been given only a one-quarter share.
Nicholson Graham & Jones, now part of K&L Gates, said that it is vigorously defending the claims, but declined to comment further.
