Josh Wong

Commercial Litigation 

• Representing Bugsby Property LLC, a property developer and sponsor, in the four-week trial of its c.GBP 300m Commercial Court claim against Legal & General for breach of a contract relating to Bugsby’s bid for the purchase of Kensington Olympia.
• Representing a Middle Eastern HNW individual in a USD 120m claim against two Chinese conglomerates in relation to misappropriation of property and company shares. The case involves allegations of sanction busting and breaches of international money laundering regulation.
• Representing Cape plc, a large multinational group which provides industrial services to the energy and natural resources sectors, in its bet-the-company “unprecedented” successful action for injunctive and declaratory relief against a receiver appointed over the company by the court in South Carolina.
• Representing members of the Barclay family in claims bought against them by other family members in high-profile High Court proceedings in relation to covert recordings at the Ritz Hotel. The dispute involved allegations of breaches of confidence, misuse of information and breach of data protection rights. Signature advised on the clients’ defence, the wider litigation strategy and confidential settlement.
• Representing a Fortune 500 company in respect of investigation and related actions arising from a complex fraud in India with losses reaching USD60m.
• Representing a US insurance and investment company in respect of freezing injunctions against two employees concerning a USD50m fraud.
• Representing an international fashion retailer, in defending a claim brought by a UK airport in relation to commercial concession fee arrangements relating to retail space. It was regarded as a test case for the principles involved in how airport operators calculate concession fees relative to the number of passengers entering/exiting the airport.
• Representing European pharmaceutical and drug discovery companies in a multi-million GBP dispute with a multinational pharmaceutical in relation to a breach of a licence agreement and a challenge to the expert calculation of royalty payments.
• Advising a Chinese international company on a significant claim valued at USD100m arising from an abortive acquisition in Israel.
• Representing a major Chinese airline in relation to a GBP 50m damages claim for a breach of contract in relation to supply of equipment.

International Commercial Arbitration

• Representing an Armenian mining company in four separate LCIA arbitrations in London and related court proceedings in offshore and CIS jurisdictions arising out of a joint venture (and related finance arrangements) with a prominent CIS bank and related entities concerning the operation of a large copper mine. The total value of the disputes exceeds USD 300m.
• Representing an investor in ICC proceedings in London against a Russian Investment Management Company in respect of professional negligence and breach of contract claims including issues of conflict of laws between UK, Russian and Cayman. Claims valued at GBP50m.
• Representing a large UK furniture retailer in ICC arbitration proceedings against a Chinese conglomerate in a GBP multi-million claim for a breach of joint venture agreement.
• Representing City of St Petersburg in its defence against a GBP multi-million claim in UNCITRAL arbitration proceedings seated in Stockholm concerning alleged breaches of public international law in respect of an investment contract.

Professional Negligence

• Representing a Life Assurance company in a GBP 40m professional negligence claim against its former auditors for alleged failures in its audits leading to the insolvency of the company.
• Representing a Big Four accountancy firm in defending against GBP multi-million professional negligence claims from liquidators of a global bank in respect of alleged failures to spot fraudulent activity in the bank leading to its collapse.
• Representing a Middle Eastern bank in a multi-million GBP professional negligence claim against a surveyor for the alleged negligent valuation of a key property in London used by a borrower as collateral for a large loan facility.

Product Liability/Toxic Tort and ESG

• Representing a global aerospace company in defending claims by former employees of legacy manufacturing operations in the UK for damages from alleged exposure to asbestos including secondary contact “overalls” claims.
• Representing a European veterinary medicine and services group against product liability claims by customers in relation to alleged issues with its vaccines for avian influenza.
• Representing a UK plc against a group action claim by local residents for alleged noise and dust nuisance from its castings and engineering foundry achieving successful settlement outcome.
• Representing Honeywell International Inc in defending asbestos claims brought by relatives of ex-employees of legacy manufacturing sites across the UK and advising in respect to potential copycat claims.
• Representing Meggitt plc in respect to historic mesothelioma claims brought by the estate of deceased former employees.

Commercial Litigation – Public Procurement

• Representing a national security services provider in a GBP 10m claims against Magnox Limited, a company specialising in the safe and secure decommissioning and restoration of nuclear sites, for damages arising out of its unsuccessful bid in the commercial procurement process for the provision of security services and equipment at five nuclear sites across the UK.
• Representing an NGO against the Department for International Development (DFID) challenging the government’s decision to change the terms of a contract for the provision of substantial aid programmes across Africa.
• Advising a facilities company in respect to alleged unlawful procurement of services conducted by NHS Property Services Limited.
• Representing a security systems provider in respect of its challenges to the tender process conducted by local councils in England including Thurrock Council, Bristol City Council, London Borough of Bexley and London Borough of Bromley.
• Representing a specialist pension services and employee benefits provider in respect of its challenge against the decision of HM Paymaster General office to award a government contract to a competitor.
• Advising workforce solutions provider on its challenge to the procurement process conducted by Severn Trent Water.

Administrative and Public law – Judicial Review

• Representing a facilities management company in a review of the rationality of a decision made by Hertfordshire County Council in respect of the public procurement process relating to a GBP 25m multi-site property management and security services contract. The case also included issues of the unlawful exercise of delegated power by an officer. The case involved a damages claim for GBP 10m.
• Representing a ship inspector in a ‘test case’ against the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF), a private body with a public service function responsible for accreditation of ship inspectors who conduct safety inspections on oil tankers and at oil terminals. The case concerned the unlawful removal of our client’s accreditation. We successfully challenged the fairness of accreditation-body disciplinary processes and the client was awarded damages. This case triggered similar claims.

Competition Law

• Representing a multinational energy company specialising in oil & gas in multi-million GBP follow-on litigation in the High Court in London against several marine construction companies involved in an international price fixing conspiracy and arising out of the EU Commission’s investigation into their anti-competitive practices.
• Representing a UK pharmaceutical company in the Court of Appeal in England in a challenge against the decisions of the Director General of Fair Trading and the Competition Commission Appeals Tribunal in relation to alleged abuse of dominant position by engaging in allegedly anti-competitive pricing of morphine tablets.