Some time ago, my old friend John Marrin (now a colleague at Keating Chambers) told me that he had cited my first book – Building Contract Litigation – to the Court of Appeal as the only authority on a particular point. The court apparently enquired as to whether I was dead. I am not sure why. It seems this is no longer a necessary criterion for authority.

No such problem in the UK Supreme Court decision this week in Bresco Electrical Services Ltd (in liquidation) (Appellant) v Michael J Lonsdale (Electrical) Ltd (Respondent). In the course of its finding that Continue reading →