A judge has agreed to grant further costs security for the defendants in the ongoing joint claim against international firm Dechert and its former head of white-collar crime. The case involves allegations of the detention of two Jordanian lawyers as well as claims of hacking a rival firm’s emails.
Jihad Quzmar and Karam Al Sadeq - in two separate claims that are being tried together - are suing Dechert, Neil Gerrard and others, claiming unlawful abduction, detention, torture, interrogation, and being denied proper legal representation during an investigation conducted by the firm into the sovereign investment fund of Ras al Khaimah, an emirate of the UAE.
Dechert and all respondents deny all claims of any wrongdoing.
In a ruling read out at the Royal Courts of Justice, Mr Justice Murray approved security for costs for 'the Enyo’ defendants' - made up of Dechert LLP, former Dechert partner David Hughes, and current partner Caroline Black - and Gerrard, who now has separate representation. The Jordanian lawyers had previously agreed voluntarily to provide security for defence costs.
The new security awards total more than £9m. The judge said a new date for the trial would be determined at the next case management conference, which has yet to be listed.
In the Sadeq proceedings for costs to Enyo defendants, £4,558,690.77 is to be paid within 28 days of the order while a further £1,372,885.60 is payable in four equal parts on 1 April, 1 August and 1 September, 2023 and on 1 April, 2024.
In the Sadeq proceedings for security for costs to Gerrard, £263,475.07 is to be paid within 28 days of the order and £992,876.93 payable in four equal tranches.
In the Quzmar proceedings, the costs to Enyo defendants will be £1,367,021.54 payable within 28 days of the order and £671,538.76 to be payable in four equal tranches.
In the Quzmar proceedings, security for costs to Gerrard will be £95,370.46 to be paid within 28 days and £414,713.54 payable in four equal parts on the same dates aforementioned.
When reading out the numbers, Murray said: 'If I have got any figures wrong, I can correct them in the transcript.'
The court heard that the defendants' applications were ‘conservative at 60%'. Murray granted the applications for security for costs at 60% and added that Gerrard was 'entitled to be separately represented'.
