Gorbachev v Guriev

The Commercial Court (HHJ Pelling KC) has handed down judgment, dismissing entirely the Claimant’s claim, which was said to be worth materially in excess of US$1 billion. The Claimant alleged that the Defendant had granted him a 24.75% interest in Russian fertiliser company PhosAgro OJSC by virtue of oral declarations of English trust made in 2005 and 2008. The Court, in a detailed judgment, reviewed the approach to adopt in assessing competing factual evidence, and rejected the Claimant’s evidence on various material issues.

During the course of the six-week trial, the Judge spent a week sitting as special examiner in Dubai to take evidence from the Defendant and his son, who were unable to travel to England due to Russian sanctions.

Tom Weisselberg KC, Daniel Cashman and Rowan Stennett (led by Helen Davies KC) acted for the successful Defendant.

The judgment can be read here.