No one could possibly accuse The Honourable Mr Justice Hildyard of undue haste or cutting corners in writing judgments. His (now-retired) honour is known for his 1,500 page epic in the Autonomy civil fraud case and for being ticked off by the chancellor of the High Court in 2020 for taking 22 months to rule on a dispute between two Russian parties.
The latest Hildyard judgment, which appeared this week, runs to a modest 61 pages. Alison Grant & Ors v FR Acquisitions & Anor follows a two-day hearing in January 2021 in a dispute over the administration of Lehman Brothers International, which collapsed in 2008.
Hildyard concludes the judgment with a poignant personal note: 'The sharp-eyed will have noted that in the title page of this judgment, leading counsel for Firth Rixson is described as a QC, as he was when the matter was heard. In November 2021, Mr Robin Dicker QC died of cancer, aged just 60. He was truly exceptional. Dedicated, insightful and crystal clear in his thinking and presentation, he was entirely straightforward, fair and reliable, with a refreshingly dry sense of humour. He is a great loss to the law, as well as to his family and his friends.'
A judicial tribute worth waiting for.
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