Michael Douglas Photo Exclusive And Other Stories

House of Lords re-defines the law on economic torts and commercial confidentiality: OBG v Allan; Douglas v Hello! Limited; and Mainstream v Young (2007).

In an important triple judgment, issued on 2 May 2007, the House of Lords has provided welcome clarification of the law relating to tort claims for economic loss caused by intentional acts - also taking the opportunity to extend the law on breach of confidence.

The judgment covers three separate cases, each of which had raised related issues. The most well-known of these is Douglas and Others v Hello!, where OK! magazine was seeking damages from Hello! magazine for the unauthorised publication of photographs of Michael Douglas’s wedding to Catherine Zeta-Jones. The other two cases were OBG v Allan, relating to losses suffered by the claimant company following the unauthorised appointment of administrative receivers, and Mainstream v Young, where the defendant was alleged to have facilitated breach of contract by two employees of a