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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> England and Wales High Court (Commercial Court) Decisions >> Brockton Capital Llp v Atlantic-Pacific Capital Inc [2014] EWHC 1459 (Comm) (07 May 2014) URL: http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Comm/2014/1459.html Cite as: [2014] 2 Lloyd's Rep 275, [2014] EWHC 1459 (Comm) |
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QUEEN'S BENCH DIVISION
COMMERCIAL COURT
IN AN ARBITRATION CLAIM
The Rolls Building Fetter Lane London, EC4A 1NL |
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B e f o r e :
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Brockton Capital LLP |
Claimant/ Applicant |
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- and - |
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Atlantic-Pacific Capital, Inc. |
Defendant/ Respondent |
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Joe Smouha QC and Iain Quirk (instructed by Squire Sanders (UK) LLP) for the Defendant/Respondent
Hearing dates: 6 May 2014
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Crown Copyright ©
Mr Justice Field:
Introduction
The background
(g) Without prejudice to any rights or remedies of TRS in this Deed or any other document relating to TRS's investment in the Fund, if APC breaches any of the provisions of this Deed including, but not limited to, if there is any breach of paragraph 2(e)(ii) or if any of the warranties referred to in paragraph 2(d) either ceases to be true or accurate or becomes misleading in any way either at the date hereof or as repeated at any time in the future:
(i) [Brockton] shall be released from any obligation to make any further payment to APC of any amounts due or which may thereafter become due pursuant to the Engagement Letter with respect to the investment in the Fund or any other fund managed or advised by [Brockton] as the case may be of TRS and/or the relevant Investor if any in respect of whom such breach occurred; and
(ii) [Brockton] shall be entitled to terminate the Engagement Letter for Cause and the provisions of paragraph 5(b) of the Engagement Letter shall apply.
28. Brockton argues that, separate and apart from its purported termination effort, any other purported technical deficiencies that Brockton can think of should allow Brockton to suspend payment (in part) under ¶ 2(g)(i) of the Amendment to Agreement, which refers to breaches of "any of" that instrument's provisions. Brockton is wrong. Interpreting ¶ 2(g) (i) in the manner claimed by Brockton renders that provision an unenforceable penalty.
29. A provision requiring a payment "grossly disproportionate to the amount of actual damages" is a penalty and is unenforceable. Truck Rent-A-Ctr.,Inc. v. Puritan Farms 2nd, Inc., 361 N.E. 2d 1015, 1018 (N.Y. 1977). "[T]o permit parties, in their unbridled discretion, to utilize penalties as damages, would lead to the most terrible oppression in pecuniary dealings." Id. (citation omitted). Indeed, if there is any doubt as to whether a clause imposes a penalty, New York courts construe the provision as a penalty. See, e.g., Howard Johnson Int'l Inc. v HBS Family, Inc., 96-cv-7687 (SJ), 1998 WL 411334 at*5 (S.D.N.Y. July 22, 1998) (citing cases).
30. In the circumstances of this case, enforcement of ¶ 2(g)(i) can be viewed only as a penalty. It does not provide just compensation for loss, as Brockton has experienced no injury. And viewed from the parties' perspective when the Amendment to Agreement was executed, the damages set out in ¶ 2(g)(i) are plainly disproportionate to any estimate of the potential harm that Brockton might experience in the absence of TRS claiming a breach. The provision is thus unenforceable. See Howard Johnson, 1998 WL 411334 at*7 (refusing to enforce damages provision because it was not a reasonable estimate of potential loss).
Dear Arbitrators and Ms. Orlowski:
Respondent, Brockton Capital LLP ("Brockton") writes to address new arguments presented for the first time in the Post-Hearing Memorial of Claimant, Atlantic-Pacific Capital, Inc ("APC"). We are reluctantly submitting this letter to ensure that we do not waive any consideration of or objection to APC's new arguments. Carina Int'l. Shipping Corp. v Adam Maritime Corp., 961 F.Supp, 559, 566-67 (S.D.N.Y. 1997) (Sotomayor, J.). Therefore, the Tribunal should consider this letter in making its ruling.
While APC presents a number of new arguments, e.g., Cl. Post-Hearing Memorial ¶¶ 28-31,69,70, APC in particular contends that Brockton cannot succeed on its Counterclaims because it did not suffer any financial injury. Id ¶ 10. APC's arguments totally ignore Brockton's breach of fiduciary duty claims that require no proof of injury. Resp. Post Hearing Submissions ¶¶ 55-58. With regard to its rescission counterclaims, Brockton need not demonstrate a "pecuniary loss" to succeed under New York law: "[A] substantial body of case law indicates that an action to rescind a contract for fraudulent inducement does not require a showing of injury in the traditional sense which is required in an action for damages." Dornberger v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., 961.F Supp. 506, 543 (S.D.N.Y. 1997) (citations omitted); accord Urquhart v Philbor Motors, Inc., 9.A.D.3d 458, 458-59 (N.Y. App. Div. 2004) ("[I]t is not incumbent upon the plaintiff to establish actual pecuniary loss."); Gross v State Cooperage Export Crating & Shipping Co. 32.A.D.2d 540 (N.Y. App Div. 1969) ("[I]t is not necessary for a defrauded party to show that he has suffered pecuniary damages in order to obtain rescission…."). Brockton demonstrated its injury because it entered into the Placement and Tripartite Agreements when it would not have otherwise done so. Resp. Post Hearing submission ¶¶ 54, 58.
Dear Counsel for the Parties,
I acknowledge receipt of the Parties' respective submissions on costs on May 3, 2013.
I also acknowledge receipt of additional submissions by the Parties, from Respondent dated April 24 and from Claimant dated April 26, 2013, addressing certain substantive issues in this case. The Tribunal notes that leave to file these additional submissions was neither requested nor granted. The Tribunal will accept these two submissions. However, no further submissions from the Parties will be allowed except by leave of the Tribunal for good cause shown.
153. Section 2(g) makes no distinction among various possible breaches in granting a remedy to Brockton. Brockton's right to be released from paying fees and to terminate is the same whether the breach (e.g APC's late delivery of Section 2(f) Certificates) results in no harm to Brockton or the breach (e.g APC's bribing of a TRS official in connection with its investment causing TRS to withdraw its investment and thereby jeopardize the entire Fund ) results in egregious harm.
155. Section 2(g) provides for an equal forfeiture for any breach by APC regardless of the nature or degree of breach or the amount of loss incurred by Brockton as a result of the breach. It was entered into obviously to force APC's strict performance of the Tripartite Agreement and to impose a draconian remedy if APC did not. The Tribunal finds that §2(g) of the Tripartite Agreement is a contractual penalty provision that is unenforceable under New York law.
The legal framework
Challenging the award: serious irregularity.
(1) A party to arbitral proceedings may (upon notice to the other parties and to the Tribunal) apply to the court challenging an award in the proceedings on the ground of serious irregularity affecting the Tribunal, the proceedings or the award. A party may lose the right to object (see section 73) and the right to apply is subject to the restrictions in section 70(2) and (3).
(2) Serious irregularity means an irregularity of one or more of the following kinds which the court considers has caused or will cause substantial injustice to the applicant—
(a) failure by the Tribunal to comply with section 33 (general duty of Tribunal);
General duty of the Tribunal.
(1) The Tribunal shall—
(a) act fairly and impartially as between the parties, giving each party a reasonable opportunity of putting his case and dealing with that of his opponent, and
(b) adopt procedures suitable to the circumstances of the particular case, avoiding unnecessary delay or expense, so as to provide a fair means for the resolution of the matters falling to be determined.
(2) The Tribunal shall comply with that general duty in conducting the arbitral proceedings, in its decisions on matters of procedure and evidence and in the exercise of all other powers conferred on it.
Note 1 Paragraph 5 of the tribunal’s Terms of Reference provide that subject to Articles 15 and 19 of the ICC Rules and other applicable procedural requirements, the Tribunal is entitled to take into consideration further allegations, arguments, contentions and oral or written submissions. [Back] Note 2 Lesotho Highlands Development Authority v Impregilo SpA and others [2006] 1 AC 221. [Back] Note 3 Terna Bahrain Holding Company WLL v Bin Kamil Al Shamsi and others [2013] 1 All ER (Comm), at para 85(5). [Back] Note 4 The Magdalena Oldendorf [2008] 1 Lloyd's Rep 7. [Back] Note 5 Terna Bahrain at para 85(4). [Back] Note 7 Bulfracht (Cyprus) Ltd v Boneset Shipping Co Ltd [2002] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 681 [Back] Note 8 Sonatrach v Statoil [2014] EWHC 875 (Comm) at [14],[17] & [18] per Flaux J. [Back]