Judgment On Injunction Application For Breach Of Confidence Published By English High Court Despite Parties Settling

In HML PM Ltd v. Canary Riverside Estate Management Ltd and another EWHC, [2019] 3496 (QB) the High Court dismissed an application for an interim injunction to restrain defendants from using allegedly confidential and privileged documents. Proceedings settled after the application was heard and prior to the publication of the judgment but the court published the judgment anyway. The case highlights the fact that a claimant must have standing to advance the actual claim underpinning the injunctive relief sought, the correct claimant in a breach of confidence case being the person with the power to say whether the information should be communicated elsewhere. The decision to publish the judgment notwithstanding settlement is another example of the court publishing judgments where the case raises points of general interest.

The First-tier Tribunal (Property chamber) had appointed an employee and director of the claimant, HML PM Ltd (HML), Mr Coates, to manage a residential estate in Canary...