Litigation Radar: Snapchat and Dolby cross-border patent dispute, Boohoo investor group claim expands and Nord Stream judgment
The latest litigation developments include Snapchat’s cross-border patent dispute with Dolby, Vodafone settles £85m group action brought by former franchisees, additional institutional investors join the shareholder claim against Boohoo Group and Nord Stream intends to appeal the High Court’s dismissal of its claim.
Published fortnightly, our Litigation Radar explores the latest court proceedings and claims shaping the litigation landscape. This edition covers commercial disputes, public sector litigation, intellectual property and major group actions.
Law firms featured
Winston Taylor International LLP • DLA Piper UK LLP • Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP • Clyde & Co LLP • Eversheds Sutherland LLP • Knights Professional Services Ltd • Bird & Bird LLP • TLT LLP • Fox Williams LLP
HP-2026-000026: Snap Inc. and another v Dolby Laboratories, Inc. and others
Snapchat and Dolby are involved in a cross-border patent dispute. Following Dolby Laboratories’ patent infringement claims against Snap Inc. in the US and Brazil, alleging that Snapchat used Dolby’s HEVC technology without a licence, Snap has now brought patent infringement proceedings against Dolby in the English High Court.
HT-2026-000243: PAL Aerospace Ltd v Secretary of State for the Home Department
Aerospace and defence company PAL Aerospace has instructed DLA Piper in a new procurement dispute against the UK Home Office. Back in June 2023, PAL Aerospace announced its partnership to provide airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft to support operations over the English Channel. Further details of the dispute have not yet been made public.
CL-2024-000094: Nord Stream AG v Lloyd's Insurance Company S.A. and another
Dame Clare Moulder DBE dismissed Nord Stream AG's multi-million insurance claim arising from the 2022 pipeline explosions. The judge held that the damage was directly or indirectly caused by, or occurred in consequence of, the Russia-Ukraine war, meaning insurers were not liable under the policies’ war exclusion clause. Nord Stream has indicated an intent to appeal the High Court's dismissal of their claim and have been granted additional time to seek permission from the Court of Appeal. Track this claim to be updated if an appeal is filed.
HT-2026-000211: DV4 Eadon Co Ltd and others v Laing O’Rourke Delivery Ltd and another
A claim in relation to alleged building safety defects at Elephant Central, a high-rise residential development in Elephant and Castle, including fire-safety issues. The claimants allege that Laing O’Rourke breached contractual and statutory duties by failing to ensure the buildings complied with relevant regulatory and safety standards, resulting in significant defects and associated losses.
CL-2024-000663: APK Communications Ltd and others v Vodafone Ltd
Former Vodafone franchise operators have settled their multi-million-pound group action against Vodafone. The claim alleged breaches of contractual obligations and the Braganza duty, including that Vodafone acted in bad faith by reducing franchise fees, imposing significant fines and encouraging franchisees to take on debt despite knowing the financial impact. The settlement was reached without any admission of liability and its terms remain confidential.
FL-2026-000021: Masterinvest Kapitalanlage GmbH and parties listed in schedule v Boohoo Group Plc
As reported in the media, additional institutional investors have joined the shareholder claim against Boohoo Group. Represented by Fox Williams, the original claim filed back in 2024 (FL-2024-000017) alleges the company misled the market over labour practices in its Leicester supply chain. The claim seeks compensation for losses following Boohoo’s 2020 share price decline after allegations of sweatshop conditions became public.
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