Victory at the High Court

When specialist pipe manufacturer Noksel çelik Boru Sanayi A.Ş. found itself in a complex international dispute with a distributor they asked the commercial disputes team at Cripps to act for them.  With large amounts of money at stake, Noksel needed a robust and experienced team to fight for them.

The challenge: managing a complex, fast paced and international litigation case

Following protracted negotiations, it was necessary for Turkish steel pipe manufacturer Norsek to issue a claim against its distributors in the UK, Bemaco Steel Limited and other group companies, involving a complex multi-million dollar trading balance and counterclaim for breach of an exclusivity agreement, which were together valued at in excess of $30m.

The case was complex. The relationship between the two companies was governed by Turkish law, while jurisdiction was retained by the English High Court. Expert accountants were also instructed to consider the value of the claim, counterclaim and calculate the interest due.

Our approach: firm but fair

Taking a robust approach, we helped the client to navigate a myriad of issues raised by the defendants throughout the litigation and the aggressive approach of their solicitors, to ensure the litigation kept on track.

The outcome: success at the High Court

This complex and hard-fought case featured challenges at every juncture, culminating in a two-week trial in the High Court. The judge found in Noksel’s favour in almost every aspect of the dispute, dismissing the defendant’s counterclaim and awarding judgment in our client’s favour for in excess of US$7.6m plus costs. Our client was thrilled.

How we made a difference: collaboration at its best

Working closely with our client’s Turkish lawyers, counsel, our Turkish law expert, expert accountant and other third party service providers, we adopted a collaborative approach to ensure that each member of the legal team was able to add value to the claim, while keeping everyone focused on the key objectives to ensure a successful outcome.

Cenk Atik, Deputy General Manager of Financial & Administrative Affairs at Noksel