Litigation Law, Mediation Law and Arbitration Law

When businesses think about defamation, the instinct is often to think of newspaper headlines or social media controversies. In practice, some of the most damaging and costly claims can arise much closer to home – inside the workplace itself.

Social media is now central to how individuals and businesses communicate. However, the same features that make these platforms effective, speed, reach, and ease of sharing, also increase the risk of reputational harm.

The Defamation (Amendment) Act 2026 (Act) has been signed into law, following its passing by both houses of the Oireachtas earlier this month.

The Düsseldorf Local Division of the Unified Patent Court has adopted the Dutch-derived four-step equivalence test in a patent infringement case involving stroller wheel locking mechanisms. This decision, which rejected claims of equivalent infringement based on a strict feature-by-feature functional analysis, may signal an emerging consensus on how equivalence should be assessed across the UPC.

The Court of Appeal of the Unified Patent Court addresses applications to withdraw in appeal proceedings involving Bekaert Combustion Technology B.V., NV Bekaert SA, and Polidoro S.p.a. concerning European Patent EP 2 037 175. The proceedings examine procedural rules governing withdrawal applications under the Rules of Procedure, specifically Rules 265.1, 265.2(c), and 370.9(b).

The Court of Appeal of the Unified Patent Court has issued three significant procedural rulings addressing the admissibility of late invalidity attacks, the scope of withdrawal provisions, and the proper forum for cost decision applications. These decisions clarify critical procedural requirements that will impact litigation strategy before the UPC.

The French Court of Cassation has established a critical limitation on enforcing arbitral awards against State-linked entities when EU financial stability objectives are at stake. In a landmark ruling involving Greece's asset management vehicle HCAP, the Court held that while creditors may generally pursue assets of State emanations, this doctrine must yield when enforcement would undermine EU-mandated restructuring and stabilization programs. This decision fundamentally reshapes enforcement strategy for ar

A U.S. District Court ruling in Blasket Renewable Investments v. Kingdom of Spain establishes critical boundaries for post-judgment discovery against foreign sovereigns, confirming that judgment creditors may pursue broad asset discovery while protecting sensitive military information and requiring evidentiary support before treating state-linked entities as the sovereign itself.

International Arbitration Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Greece, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

The Irish High Court examines whether a hospital owes a duty of care to a patient's relative who develops PTSD after witnessing the immediate aftermath of a catastrophic medical error.

Has a family member died at work or while commuting to or from work? Discover who may be held responsible, what benefits INAIL provides, what additional compensation the family may be entitled to in 2026, and why it is crucial to act immediately with the assistance of a lawyer.

The Irish Court of Appeal has established groundbreaking principles governing artificial intelligence use in legal proceedings, addressing the risks of AI-generated hallucinations and fabricated case citations. What obligations do litigants and lawyers now face when leveraging AI tools for legal research, and what sanctions might courts impose for non-compliance with these new guidelines?