It is a common device (and incentive) in the business world to provide for success fees in the event of certain results occurring. But does the performing party have to demonstrably cause such events? Could we claim a success fee for the sun rising in the morning? A recent English High Court case approaches this matter as a question of contract interpretation in a business context.

Miscellaneous: Lawyers ask questions all the time. That is often what they get paid for. But the skill is in asking the right questions at the right time and knowing when not to ask a question at all. A convicted criminal in the United States finds this out the hard way on page 2.

Stuart Bugg