Herbert Smith has scored a victory advising Chevron in one of the largest pieces of commercial litigation ever seen in the UK, as its joint venture partner Total is found liable for the 2005 Buncefield disaster.
In a judgment handed down in the High Court this morning (20 March), Mr Justice David Steel ruled that Total – which has a 60% stake in Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd (HOSL), the joint venture that runs the Buncefield depot – was responsible for the explosion and liable for the financial consequences.
