The Court of Appeal has dismissed an application by former Gibson Dunn & Crutcher partner Peter Gray to challenge a ruling that he “deliberately misled” the High Court in a case brought by the Republic of Djibouti.
Gray was not a party to the original case, brought by the African nation against one of its citizens, businessman Abdourahman Boreh, on charges related to terrorism and tax fraud.
Djibouti, represented by Gibson Dunn, lost its case in March 2016, with Mr Justice Flaux dismissing all allegations against Boreh, represented by Byrne & Partners, and overturning a £100m worldwide freezing order on his assets.
Gray headed up Djibouti’s original legal team. It emerged in court in 2015 that Gray had “deliberately misled” the court in relation to submitting evidence that later turned out to be falsified.
Dubai-based Gray was dismissed by Gibson Dunn following the ruling. He then launched a campaign to clear his name, claiming other members of his firm also knew about the falsified evidence.
He was denied permission to appeal the ruling by Flaux J in April 2015, but took his fight to the Court of Appeal, which took almost a year to deliver its judgment. His appeal was led by counsel Mark Simpson QC of Fountain Court Chambers, instructed by Gray’s lawyers Al Bawardi Critchlow.
Al Bawardi Critchlow was launched by former Payne Hicks Beach construction head Julian Critchlow in April 2016. Critchlow had represented Gray on his high-profile claim against Gibson Dunn over negligence and breach of contract related to his dismissal while at Payne Hicks Beach, and brought the client to his new firm.
Gray’s lawsuit against his former firm was filed at the Dubai International Financial centre Court last spring. He is seeking around £350,000 in costs related to his legal battle in the UK plus damages. The outcome of his challenge is not yet known.
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