Leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has succeeded for client, Yodel Delivery Network Limited, and its owner, InPost UK Limited, in their defence of a High Court claim concerning the ownership of Yodel.
The judgment, handed down on 19 December 2025, will enable InPost to continue to implement its transformation plan for Yodel, safeguarding the 9,000 jobs that depend on Yodel.
The firm successfully defended claims brought by Shift Global Holdings Limited and Corja Holdings Limited, companies connected with Yodel's former owner Jacob Corlett. Shift and Corja had sought specific performance of their alleged entitlement to a majority of the shares in Yodel under a share warrant instrument that Shift, Corja and Mr Corlett claimed had been entered into shortly before Mr Corlett sold Yodel in June 2024.
As part of the litigation, Shift and Corja applied to obtain an interim injunction preventing InPost from implementing its transformation plan for Yodel. The firm successfully defended this application in both the Court of first instance and the Court of Appeal, and in June 2025 Shift's and Corja's claims were ordered to be heard on an expedited basis, with the trial taking place in November 2025.
Yodel resisted the claims on the basis that the warrant instrument was a forgery and, even if authentic, was issued by Mr Corlett in breach of his director's duties. Yodel was successful on both these issues. Yodel is continuing to pursue further claims against Mr Corlett and entities connected to him, in connection with alleged wrongdoing carried out by Mr Corlett during his tenure at Yodel.
On 21 January 2026, the Court awarded Yodel indemnity costs, and required Corja and Shift to make a multi-million pound interim payment in respect of those costs.
The HSF Kramer team was led by Partner Jeremy Garson, supported by Consultant Donny Surtani, Senior Associate Dave Phillips, Associates Benjamin Foo and Noel Fernandes and Trainees Mo Patel and Davina Chu.
Commenting on the case, Jeremy Garson said: "We are proud to have supported Yodel and InPost in this case, which will have a significant positive impact on the transformation of the business moving forward and safeguards thousands of jobs. The case demonstrates our ability to manage complex and high-stakes litigation in an extremely compressed timetable; in addition to prevailing at trial, we succeeded in each and every contested application."