Energy and Natural Resources Case Law Update - Issue 5
As the world adjusts to a new normal, businesses across all sectors will be anticipating significant changes to their operations and priorities. Continued disruption across the Energy and Natural Resources (E&NR) sector may, for example, see participants seek to re-visit long-term contracts, with subsequent disputes being played out in court. As we set out in this latest edition of the E&NR case law update, the English courts (even with Brexit looming, and the changes that will bring) remain at the forefront of E&NR disputes arising in both a domestic and international context.
One theme, evident in a number of the cases covered below, is the rise of class actions on the legal landscape. Recent events may mean that galvanised groups of litigants are more incentivised to pursue class action claims against parent companies, including in the E&NR sector. As highlighted in one of the cases mentioned, such actions have the potential to disrupt planned acquisitions and business deals in what may be unexpected ways.
This edition provides a snapshot of the types of issues businesses in the E&NR sector have faced in the six months from January to the end of June 2020, the disputes that made it to court in that window, and the key takeaways from the resulting court decisions.
